Mexico weekly ledger., 1917-03-29

"Sfci i've ionS enough 10 amouht
to anything.
Varieties Best Adapted to Various
States: There are almost countless
varieties Of winter wheat. The adap-
tations are rather narrow, so that the
adaptation to the different states and
sections in the states should be got
ten from the various experiment sta
tons.
Amount of Seed Per Acre: Ord.
narily a bushel and a half OF seed
is used per acre. Some farmers sow
a bushel and a peck, but the first
named amount is about right.
Best Time For Seeding in Diff
ferent States: The time for seed
ing varies widely in different
states. In the northern section Of
the winter wheat growing states
seeding begins about the LIST of Sep
TENDER. In the central corn belt
September 18th is considered about
the time to SOW winter wheat. As
you go farther south this time ad-
vances to the list of November.
Where to Get Seed: There are
now enough good seed grain grow
ers in the various states to sup
ply most of the demand for pure seed.
These names can be secured from
the various agricultural colleges.
A Single Variety: The variety
best adapted to each locality should
be grown by all farmers in the
same neighborhood. Get advice from
your agricultural college.
Effect of Freezing in Winter and
Spring; Freezing and thawing in
winter and spring has a decided ten
dency to heave wheat out of the
ground. This heaving generally
breaks the roots of the plants
and causes tremendous loss. Roll
ing in the fall, as suggested, is a
great help in preventing excessive
heaving. If the land is rolled in the
spring as soon as the ground settles
and dries on top, it will have a de-
cided tendency to aid plants that are
partially injured to become fully re-
stored.
Treatment for Smut and Wheat
Loose smut al be pre-
vented by the formaldehyde treat
ment. Use one pound of forma-
lin to forty gallons of water.
If the seed is immersed in a barrel
containing the solution, the desired
results will be accomplished, and if
the grain is stirred around and all OF
those that float are skinned off, it
will largely eliminate the kernels
containing the sinking smut. After
the grain has been in the solution ten
or fifteen minutes it should be taken
out of the barrel and spread on the
floor to dry. Where sinking smut
does not bother theswheat may be
piled on the floor and sprinkled with
the solution and turned over until
thoroughly dampened, covered with
anything handy in the way of old
sacks or carpets, and after two or
three hours spread out and allowed
10 dry.
Insect Enemies: The Hessian fly
and the chinch bug are the two
worst enemies Of winter wheat.
The fly can be combatted by sowing
a strip of wheat early, from the first
10 the middle Of August. The fly will
lay their eggs in this strip of wheat
and it can then be plowed under and
down good and hard. This will
probably eliminate all trouble from
in a particular field. Country
wide cooperation must be used in
off the chinch bugs, as they
90 for miles and hatch out in enor-
nous quantities. Burning trash around
he fence rows and cleaning up the
in general is effective in de-
'troying them.
Threshing: Wheat should not be
:hreshed until it is thoroughly cured
the shock, as it is very apt to
mold or heat in the bin. The same
s true if wheat is threshed when it
s too damp. Furthermore, the ma
:hine is apt not to get all of the
wheat out of the straw. 1t should be
however, as soon as con-
as mentioned will permit.
How to Take Care of Crop After
harvesting: After the crop is cut,
he bundles should be set in good
and each shock capped with
bundle which has been broken at
he band. The heads of the grain
be turned toward the prevail
ng wind. In case a threshing ma
:hine is not available for a long time,
{ will pay to stack the wheat in or
Ter to prevent damage from the
weather., to pillow the land if it is to
,e done at all, or to allow another
:rop such as clover to come on.
Wheat As Cover Crop: Wheat
$ especially good as a cover crop,
his for two reasons 1t takes
the available fertility of the soil
n the fall and prevents washing or
eaching away and uses this fertility
make a crop the following spring. |
The fertility would be largely lost if
he land is at all rolling. 1t is also
good cover crop due to the fact
hat it nj regularly in a rotation.
The farmer who grows it is always
tire of having a portion of his land
overed during the fall and winter,
which will prevent the waste des-
ribed in the preceding sentences.
Profits Compared to Other Grains:
When properly handled, the wheat
rop should be about as profit
Bile as corn. The cost of pro-
is practically the same.
nd, since it is grown on the same
and, the only thing that stands in
he way is the question of yield. As
tated, when proper methods are
sed, the yield is about as certain as
hat of corn and the profits will
correspond.