Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-03-15
Revive Wheat Growing in Northern
.".-. iowa.

Some farmers ar3 lnQulrlng ana re-
doubt desire and ICED some info. ma
ton concerning wheat growing es
pecially the newcomers who hav> Oee!.
engaged in the new order of G.yersi-
fled farming, brought about chiefly
by the great wheat failure just 40
years ago.
Up to that time northeastern Iowa
was noted for it's abundant yield and
fine quality of spring wheat. "Club''
and "Scotch Fife" were popular vati-
cites for ten to fifteen years, until
weakness in them began to develop.
Then a new varic.;' called "Lost Ma
ton" readily won IS favorite and
so continued until the disastrous fail
ure of 1878.
OF course some desultory wheat
growing has been carried on since
of a varied and uncertain nature in
yield and price. The Lost Nation,
a soft grain, was not as desirable on
the market nor by the miller as the
Scotch Fife" which was No. l hard
when harvested at the right time and
otherwise properly taken care of.
These made up the bulk of the pro-
duct, although many other varieties
were known but had little attention
in the wheat growing period.
At this writing little need be said
in regard to price which even in the
primitive period at times was not
very encouraging, and continuing on
to the present. The insufficient profit
may be laid down as one cause for
it's abandonment.
Now in these early March days with
stabilized price and a forceful de-
mand for more and yet more wheat,
the great need of our own country
and those dependent upon it for sup
port emphasize the duty and moral
obligation on the farmer to sow and
reap wheat. It is known to be very
hardy and as seed and plant will
Withstand much hardship in the
ground; therefore any time from the
first of March to the middle of April
is the best time to SOW here. The
earlier, of course, the better.
AS to ground the first in order
with regard to adaptability for full
measure of desired results, is we'll
drained pasture or meadow, plowed
last summer or early fall Cater not
so good, so the sod is rotted. In
other words, the grass roots and all
plant matter must be so decomposed
as to offer very little resistance to
the seed bed, along with
fertilizing and enriching it. The next
in order, and sometimes said by some
to be as good, is corn stalk ground
turned from sod and having grown
two crops, or better only one. Clean
by tillage and drainage so that water
will not appear on the ground longer
than six hours after a heavy rain. In
either case, here and now, as the acre
lge to be sown will not be big, SOW
Early and in conservation of both
money and seed. 1t will be necessary
o prepare the ground into fairly
evel seed bed by disking and har-
lowing. While it may do occasion
lily we'll, it is not advisable to SOW
Wheat on spring blowing. The clay
oil has been rated the best for wheat
nd this is found chiefly on the high
round upon approaching the Iowa
nd lower Turkey rivers. To this
nay be added another good quality in
he limestone formation. The best
nown varieties here now are Blue
ITEM, Iowa, Fife, Marquis and Mac
roni. 1t is presumed that such
inds as can be had will be sown
nd that it is better to do so, not
the bearded varieties
yill withstand more adverse condi-
ions of air or atmosphere than the
eardless ones. Nevertheless, SOW
,heat, SOW it now, so it before April
irst and if not then SOW it in the
orrowed days. Sixty pounds to an
ere on strong and favorable soil will