Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1918-05-02
PROFITABLE TO GROW
SPRING WHEAT CROP
Much Land in Northern States
Which Is Quite Suitable.
ID is Probable That In Large Area
Marquis Variety viii Give Best
ResuIt-Seed Should Not Be
Hard to Obtain.

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculturs)
There is much land In the Northern
states on which spring wheat growing
may be profitable as well as patriotic
this year.
An additional acreage Of spring
wheat can be secured by increased at
tention to the crop In sections where
considerable areas formerly were
planted. Spring wheat also should be
sown IN the Northeastern states-the
northeastern quarter of the country
south and east of the present spring
wheat area. This includes the north
ern part Of the corn belt. To be spe-
cific it includes northern Kansas and
Missouri and northward, and nearly all
of the country north Of Kentucky and
Virginia, including the New England
states. Spring wheat should not be
sown along the seacoast, however, and
generally not on land of low elevation.
In the mountainous region spring
wheat should be tried where land is
available as far south as Tennessee
anu NOrtn CarOllnR.
Where Formerly Grown.
A fairly safe rule to follow in the
present crisis, which demands q large
wheat production, Is for the farmers
in all sections wherever spring wheat
has ever been grown but now discon-
tlnued, to sow little of 1t this spring
IL full winter-wheat acreage was not
put In by them last fall. The older
farmers In a neighborhood often will
recall that spring wheat was once
grown there, but that it gave way per
haps to .higher-yielding or better-mill-
ing winter wheat. Perhaps some other
crop replaced wheat entirely. At the
present time 1t Is desirable In all such
places to go back to some degree to
spring wheat growing,
II spring wheat fails the land is
ready for a summer catch crop or for
sowing winter wheat the next fall.
Choice Of . Variety.
In nearly all of this great area 1t is
probable that the Marquis variety will
give best results, or at least as good
results as any spring wheat. Seed OF
this can most likely be obtained al
points not far removed. Sesdsmen
generally should be able to supply 1t,
or the county agent or state agricul-
tural college can refer to sources of
seed. It is the most widely grown
variety In Minnesota and the Dakotas
and Is easily recognized by its short,
wide-creased, broad, hard, red kernels.
Handling Spring Wheat.
The culture OF spring wheat should
give trouble to no farmer in this Sec
ton, accustomed as he generally is to
winter wheat and to spring oats. The
land should be prepared as for oats
and seeded as early as possible. Use
only land considered suitable for win.
ter wheat. Early sowing Is the best
guaranty of a crop. It Is best to SOW
wheat with q drill where one Is to be
had, but 1t can be sown broadcast and
narrowed In. The same amount Of seed
per acre as Of winter wheat, or little
more, should be sown. Six or seven
pecks per acre is usually enough.
Small patches Of wheat sown by farm
ers generally In this northeastern Sec
ton Of the country will doubtless add
greatly to our wheat supply, and will
not interfere seriously with other farm
ing operations.