Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1919-08-26
Coed Seed Bed for Wheat Requires
Time and Work

A good seed bed for wheat can not be
made unless the work Is begun early,
and a good seed bed Is the most i'm.
portant thing In growing wheat.
Many things are necessary In pre-
pairing good seed bed, but the first
essential Is time. II can not be done In
day nor yet In week. There must
he many days OF settling. There must
he some good, packing rains. And
there ought 10 be frequent cultivation
of the soil.
Those things are necessary because
good seed bed for wheat must be firm
and II must he moist. The upper 3
inches OF soil must be mellow and fine
ly divided, and the portion beneath
must be well compacted.
Flowing May Vary
| Essentials 10 successful wheat grow
| ing vary widely In different sections OF
the country. hut the United States De
partment Of Agriculture regards these
things as basic essentials anywhere
that wheat Is grown In the United
States. The wheat experts OF the de
Of blowing for one section and other
kinds Of blowing for other sections, and
even no blowing at all under some con-
ditions, but finely pulverized top
soil well packed down and forming
perfect union with the subsoil Is urged
for every section.
Early blowing and thorough tilla9e
Of the plowed soil results In retaining
the water that Is In the soil and catch
ing and storing the water that falls az
ter cultivation Is begun A firm seeii
bed under this mulch enables the
young wheat plants to make use OF the
subsoil waters Sufficient moisture u
thus assured for the termination OF the
seed and for the early fall growth OF
the seedlings much more imp, rtaht
thing. the experts ssy, than nlrny
wheat growers consider II. II does not
apply. as some might think, just TO the
semiarid regions.
eff the Importance OF this thing were
generally recognized throughout the
20 called humid areas" says one OF the
wheat experts OF the Department OF
Agriculture, there would be less fire.
auent losses from drought and better
wheat crops would result. In this area.
the mistake Is often made Of thinking
that there viii always be enough mois-
ture present for a maximum crop Of
wheat. The result is that poor crops
are often harvested where little more
attention to moisture preservation
would have assured good crops"
Harrow Close After Plow
II wheat Is to be grown on stubble
land, the ground should be plowed mt
least I inches deep Immediately after
harvesting the crop OF grain. The har-
row should closely follow the plow,both
operations being done the same day
and as close together as possible. After
that cultivation should be given MS
often as necessary-which usually
means as often as possible-until the
wheat Is sown. The cultivation may
be with harrow or disk or drag or rol.
Ter. II accomplishes several desirable
things. II kills the weeds. II settles
the subsoil and makes II firm. II main
tains soil mulch above. And none
Of these things can be done III the
ground II not plowed early.
Now, "early blowing Is an indefinite
term. II may mean one thing to one
farmer and an entirely different thing
TO another farmer. But II Is thing for
which exact dates can hardly be set.
July blowing Is certainly early blowing
for winter wheat. The first half OF
August Is early blowing. Later than
that Is likely to he late blowing. AS
early as possible" Is the safe rule. As
soon as the wheat or oats or clover Is
off. or as soon as II can be got off, Is
the time to begin blowing.
DislSing n Help
Some makeshifts may help good
deal. II II Is absolutely impossible to
begin blowing as soon as the ground Is
clear Of this years crop double disking
should he resorted TO at once. That
chops up and Mt least partly pulverizes
the top soil-makes passable mulch
and retains much of the moisture until
the blowing can be done. Also, II kills
the weeds or, at least, cripples them
enough TO minimize the damage they
can do by sucking the moisture out OF
the soil.
III wheat Is to follow cultivated
crop. such as corn or soy beans, fire.
auent cultivation given TO that crop
will maintain a soil mulch and pre-
serve moisture. II level cultivation Is
practiced, a good seed bed usually can
be prepared by disking and narrowing
after the crop Is removed. II weeds
are present, however. II may he adyisa-
BILE 10 90 over the ground with disk
harrow. pillow shallow and disk again.
II wheat il 10 follow cotton, the
stalks should he plowed under as soon
as picking can he finished and the
blowing should he deep enough to bury
the stalks completely-that by way OF
destroying the boil weevil. Dlsking or
narrowing Is not advisable, as II un-
earths the buried stalks. The land
should be flrmed with roller and the
wheat s0wn with a disk drill.
Late Flowing Should Be Shallow
There are said to he exceptions to all
general rules, and there must be one or
two exceptions to this rule Of early
blowing for wheat. IL II rains n great
deal during July and early Auugst.
early blowing can not be done. But.
fortunately, the exception appears to
come In just there. Early blowing IL
not 30 essential In wet seasons. But
II may be well to observe this caution
III You have to pillow late. pillow shallow
where there Is danger OF winter killing
Shallow blowing makes the firming OF
the seed he'd an easier matter and IL n
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