The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-09-04

rowing and PIow Out the Corners
prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture
A good seed bed for wheat can not
be 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. 1t can not be done in
a day nor yet in a 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 it 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 Vary.
Essentials to 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
at ali under some conditions, but a
finely pulverized top soil well packed
down and forming a 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
seedlings much more important
thing, the experts say, than many wheat
growers consider it. It does not apply,
as some might think, just to the semi
arid regions.
eff the Importance of this thing were
generally recognized throughout the so
called humid areas" says one of the
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 a maximum crop of
wheat. The result is that poor crops
are often harvested where a little more
attention to moisture preservation
would have assured good crops"
Harrow Close After PIow.
If wheat is to be grown on stubble
land, the ground should be plowed at
least inches deep Immediately after
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 ecessary-which usually
means as often as possible-untiI the
| wheat is sown. The cultivation may be
with harrow or disk or drag or roller.
It accomplishes several desirable
| things. 1t kills the weeds. 1t settles
| the SubsOil and makes it firm. 1t main
tains a soil mulch above. And none of
these things can be done if the ground
! is not plOwed early.
Now, "early blowing is an indefinite
| term. It 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 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.
GAS early as possible" is the safe rule.
AS soon as the wheat or oats or clover
is of, is the time TO begin blowing.
Disking a Help.
Some makeshifts may help a good
deal. If it is absolutely impossible to
begin blowing as soon as the ground is
| clear of this years crop, double disking
should be restored to at once. That
chops up and at least partly puIverizes
the top soil-makes a passable mulch
and retains much of the moisture until
the blowing can be done. Also, it kills
the weeds or. at least, crippIes them
enough to minimize the damage they
can do by sucking the moisture out OF
the soil.
If wheat is to follow a cultivated
crop, such as corn or soy beans. FIRE
quent cultivation given to that croT
will maintain a soil mulch and preserve
moisture. If level cultivation is prac
ticed, a good seed bed usually can be
prepared by disking and narrowing
after the crop is removed If weeds