Arizona republican., 1918-10-19
WHEAT PLANTING AND THE SEED SUPPLY
PRoGRAM has been planned and
By E. P. Taylor

A PROGRAM has been planned and "A made public by the United States
 department of agriculture for a great liberty wheat harvest in 1919. American farmers are asked to SOW to winter wheat this fall not less than 45,- 900. 900 acres, which is an increase of : per cent over last years planting. The department also urges that where con- ditiOns are favorable the acreage be increased to a maximum of 47,500, 900 acres or a l2 per cent increase over last years sowing. From the minimum acreage asked the yield from winter wheat at 15.7 bushels per acre, the average of the country, and with the average abandonment of 10 per cent of the area sown due to winter killing, should reach 636, ,000, 900 bushels, where as the maximum wheat acreage asked would return 667, 900, 900 bushels With the additional spring wheat yield it is hoped that the total wheat crop can be made to mount well over the 1000 000,- 000-bushel mark, a magnificent con- tribution to be offered by the farmers of America for the winning of the war.
 More Wheat For Arizona.
 The wheat crop planted in Arizona in 1918 was 44,000 acres, but due to ad- verse seasonal conditions, including aphis infestation in the Gila valley and drouth in Pinal county and other smaller irrigation districts, consider able acreage was plowed up, so that the wheat crop harvested was from only 3S,000 acres, with a total yield of S15, 900 bushels, or almost the same as the 1917 crop, according to the bureau of crop estimates of the department of agricul- ture.
 For the 1919 liberty wheat harvest Arizona is asked to contribute as her quota 46,000 acres or an increase of 5 per cent over the acreage planted for the 1918 crop and if the maximum sug- gested wheat acreage is reached 4SOOC acres must be planted, giving an in- crease of 10 per cent.
 Bigger Yields and More Acres. Bigger wheat yields are needed as well as more wheat acres. To increase the yield per acre will require good farming. and good farming involves a knowledge of how to plant and handle wheat under Arizona conditions. This year growers should observe more closely than ever the principles of good SUI 1ltDtl dAlOllt SUI ltllllllN, edIlA blowing, and methods and rate of seed. ing to insure a good stand.
 Planting Dates.
 The date of planting in Arizona fol the southern valleys should begin no 1 later than late September or early Oc | tober, though in the Salt River vale, the planting is done more commonly il November than any other month. Plant ! rI oc l. |, will not begin to stool until the cooles weather of the winter is over, will giv excellent winter pasturage and will be gin to head out the last of April am be ready for harvest by the middle O | May. In the warmer southern valley planting may be delayed to as late a the last of February and still matur before the heat of the summer.
 Most of the wheat grown in mortimer Arizona is spring wheat planted a soon in spring as the weather will per init ard harvested in the fall Som very excellent yields of winter whea have been grown in northern Arizon from planting in September and Octo Der. In the Gila valley, where muc wheat is grown, planting is usual I done late in October and until Novem
 
 spring grain aphis during the past tw years in the Gila valley it is now rec commended that planting be delayed UT til after the first sharp fall frost Tn will reduce fall infestation from tf grain aphis and will enable the planr to get such a start as to render u damage negligible.
 Treating Wheat for Smut l All CaaA Ushaaf ehn,,ld ha 4,ao fS smut since smut is a source of serior loss in some Arizona fields.
 One of the following methods shoul be used:
 1. Dipping-Take two half barre or tubs with holes and plugs near u bottom. Place one tub on two sa horses and fill two-thirds full with , solution of formaldehyde, which
 made by mixing one pint or one pour
 of formalin (guaranteed 40 per cel solution of formaldehyde) with 40 ga Ions of water. Pour slowly into tn , solution one-half to one bushel wheat seed, stirring thoroughly for if
 to ten minutes so that the smut bal
 and trash will reach the surface Ski
 this material off, then drain the sol
 tion into the second tub. Pour the SCI
 into a pile on the floor Exchan
 position of tubs and repeat the oper
 tion until all wheat seed has be- . treated. Sow at once or spread t 7 seed out to dry.
 l ?. Sprinkling.-Remove smut ba
 and trash from the seed by thoroui
 flaming. Spread the seed out on t |, floor or wagon bed in a layer four U six inches deep. Sprinkle the soluti :. of formaldehyde on the seed using :, watering can. Shovel the seed ov y thoroughly so that all the seed o moistened. then shovel the seed into pile and cover with sacks from two
 four hours. Sow at once or spre Q the seed out to dry.
 One gallon of solution is sufficie q to treat one bushel of grain eith y method. Do not put treated seed on s smutted floor or in smutted sacks, I
 SOW with a smutted drill. Smut