The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-09-18

rowing and Pio~ Out the Corners
prepared by the Unitei States Depart
msnt Of Agrieulturs)
A good seed bed for WHEAT can not
be made unless the work is begun
early, and a good seed bed Is the most
important thing In growing wheat.
Many things are necessary Ia prepar-
ing a good seed bed. but the first es-
sential is time. 1t can not be done In
a day nor yet In week. There must
be many days Of settling. There must
be some good. packing rains. And
there ought to be frequent cultivation
Of the soil.
Those things are necessary because
a good seed bed for wheat must be firm
and II must be moist. The upper 3
inches OF soil must be mellow and finely
divided. and the portion beneath must
be well compacted.
Flowing May vay.
Essentials 10 successful wheat grow
ing vary widely In different sections
Of the country. but the United States
department OF agriculture regards
these things as basic essentials any
where that wheat Is grown In the
United States. The wheat experts OF
the department may recommend one
type Of plowing for one section and
other kinds Of plowing for other
sections. and even no blowing
at all under some conditions, but
finely pulverized top soil well packed
down and forming n perfect union
with the subsoil Is urged for every
section.
Early plowing and thorough tillage OF
the plowed soil results In retaining the
water that is In the soil and catching
and storing the water that falls after
cultivation IL begun. A firm seed bed
under this mulch enables the young
wheat plants to make use of the subsoll
waters. Sufficient moisture Is thus as
sured for the termination OF the seed
and for the early fall growth Of the
seedlings much more important
thing. ths experts say. than many wheat
growers consider II. II does not apply.
rs some might think. Just to the semi
arid regions.
"If the Importance OF this thing were
generally recognized throughout the so
called humid areas" says one of the
wheat experts OF the department OF
agriculture, "there would be less fire.
Quent losses from drought and better
wheat crops would result. In this area.
the mistake Is often made Of thinking
that there will always be enough mois-
ture present for 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 ciose After Piow.
II wheat Is to be grown on stubble
land. the ground should be plowed at
least 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
as often as necessary-which usually
means as often as posslble-until the
wheat is sown. The cultivation may be
with harrow or disk or drag or roller.
II accomplishes several desirable
things. II kills the weeds. II settles
the subsoil and makes II firm. 1t main
tains soil mulch above. And none of
these things can be done II the ground
is not plowed early.
Now, "early plowing" Is an indefinite
term. II may mean one thing to one
farmer and an entirely different thing
TO another farmer. But It Is a thing
for which exact dates can hardly be
set. July plowlng IL certainly early
plowing for winter wheat. The first
half Of August Is early plowing. Later
than that is likely TO be late plowing
"As early as possible" is the safe rule
As soon as the wheat or oats or clover
Is OFF, Is the time TO begin plowlng.
DlskfnS d Help.
Some makeshfts may help n good
deal. II II is absolutely impossible tc
begin plowlng as soon as the ground Il
clear OF this years crop. double dlskinl
should be restored to at once. Thai
chops up and at least partly pulyerize'
the top soll---makes passnble mulcl
and retains much OF the moisture until
the plowing can be done. Also, II kill
the weeds or. at least. cripples then
enough TO minimize the damage the!
can do by sucking the moisture out o
the soil.
II wheat Is TO follow a cultiyate'
crop such as corn or soy beans, FIRE
auent cultivation given TO that crol
will maintain soil mulch and preserv
moisture. II level cultivation is praC
ticed. u good seed bed usually can b
prepared by disking and harrowin
after the crop Is removed. II weed