Dresden enterprise and Sharon tribune. (Dresden, Tenn.) 1907-1997, 1917-09-07
PROFITABLE WHEAT AND SOUND FARMING
{ BY l.. K. Neel)

Not in the experience of tie writ
er have such high prices for wheat
obtained at the time for. preparing
for seeding of crop. The prospects
for good prices when the crop is
harvested are good. Furthermore,
the federal government has guaran-
teed the farmers a minimum price Of
81 per bushel The world needs a
surplus of wheat from the United
States. Our allies need it to help
feed their hungry millions. They
must have it that they may be able
to hold out in the common fight with
us against Germany. 1t is patri-
otto duty as well as an opportunity
for the American farmers to grow as
large crop of wheat as they can
and yet not sacrifice other important
crops seriously.
While all of are inclined patriot
ically to heed the call of the coun-
try and grow a maximum crop Of
wheat, we will make mistake if we
fail to carefully look into the matter
before laying out the wheat acreage.
The country will likely need nearly,
if not altogether as much corn next
year as this. Enough hay must be
planned for next year to take care of
the stock on the farms and furnish
a surplus for the towns, cities and
probably some for export. Does the
plan for wheat this fall provide for
sufficient corn and hay acreage next
year. If they do not, as rule, they
had better be revised. l do not be-
heve that we should now very materi-
ally upset our farmingg plans for
any one crop, although we can grow
a very considerable increase of wheat
and not do that. A hay crop can be
grown after wheat if we will plan
accordingly. In some sections of the
South late corn crop or silage crop
of corn can be grown after wheat.
Properly so, the country forgot
the fertility problem last spring in
its splendid efforts to produce food
for ourselves, our allies and depend
ent neutrals. Now, however, as the
country faces what looks as if it may
prove to be long war, this must be
taken into most serious consideration.
We cannot plan an exclusive corn
and wheat program on most of our
farms or we may find our crop pro-
ducing power seriously crippled be-
fore the war is over.
Where practical, a largge part of
the wheat land should be planned
for clover. An application of lime
this fall, or in the winter or early
spring, will help with that and often
will insure the clover Phosphates
will help and some kind should be
used even if it does seem high. The
phosphate will often be very impor-
tant for the wheat as we'll as for the
clover. One hundred and fifty to
$50 pounds of acid phosphate or ba-
sic Stag metal per acre is a fair ap-
plication. If these materials should
become exhausted or unbearably high,
raw ground rock phosphate may be-
come mere important in our South
ern agriculture than it has ever been.
The lime will help the wheat, too.
The clover may be sown where
are good in the late winter
or early spring. If it becomes neces-
sary it can be plowed under the fol-
lowing winter and the land planted
to corn. It will have added enough |
nitrogen to make a good yield of |
corn. Where clover is uncertain it |
can be sOwn on specially prepared |
seed-bed after the wheat is harves-
led.
All wheat farmers know without !
being told that early preparation of
she land is important. Where prac-
,ical, the land should have been plow-
I'd a month or more ago. However,
t is much better now than two weeks
n a month later. In the case of corn