The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-08-29

This Man 10 Doing Rinht---WhIIe the
rowing and Plow Out the Corner
prepared BY the United states Depart
ment OF Agricuiture)
A good seed bed for wheat can not
DO made unless the work is begun
early, and good seed bed Is the most
important thing In growing wheat.
Many things are necessary IN prepar-
Ing good seed bed, but the first es-
sential is time. II can not be done In
q 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 g
inches of soIl mast be mellow and finely
divided. and the portion beneath must
be well compacted.
Flowing May Vary.
Essentials 20 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 blowing for one section and
other kinds OF blowing for other
sections, and even no blowing
Mt all under some conditions, but -
finely pulverized top soil well packed
down and forming perfect union
with the subsoil Is urged for every
section.
Early blowing 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 is begun. A firm seed bed
under this mulch enables the young
wheat plants TO make use OF the subsoil
waters. Sufficient moisture Is thus as
sured for the termination of the seed
and for the early fall growth OF the
seedllngs--a much more important
thingS.ha,szperts say, than many wheat
growers consider II. 1t does not apply,
as 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 FREE
Quent 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 mols-
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 Close After Plow.
II wheat is TO be grown on stub5le
land, the ground should be plowed ut
least inches deep Immediately after
harvesting the crop of grain. The har-
row should closely follow the pillow,
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 subSoll aud makes II tirm. II main.
tains soil mulch above, And none OF
these things can be done II the ground
Is 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 1t 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 be late blowing
"As early as possible is the safe rule
As soon as the wheat or oats or clover
Is ofg, Is the time to begin blowing.
DlskIna a Help.
Some makeshlfts may help a gooC
deal. II Il Is absolutely impossible Il
begin blowing as soon as the ground 1,
clear OF this years crop, double diskins
should be restored 20 at once. Tha
chops up aud at least partly pulverizei
the top soli-makes passable mulcl
and retains much OF the moisture unit
the blowing can be done. Also, II kill
the weeds or, at least, cripples then
enough 10 minimize the damage the.
ear do by sucking the moisture out o
the soil.
n wheat Is to follow a cultivated
crop, such as corn or soy beans, FIRE
quent cultivation given 10 that crol
viii maintain soil mulch and preserv
moisture If level cultivation is praC
ticed, good seed bed usually can b
prepared by disking and harrowin
after the crop is removed. n weed