The Newark journal., 1919-10-16


 This Man Is Doing Right-WhiIe the
 rowing and Flow Out the Corner, <Prepared by the United States Denart-
 ment of AgFieaItare1
 A good seed bed for wheat can not be made unless the work is begun curly, and q 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- sentiai is time. It can not be done in day nor yet in week. There must be many days of settling. There must be some good, packing rains. And there ought 10 be frequent cultivation Of the soil.
 Those things are necessary because a good seed bed for wheat must be firm and il must be moist The upper 3 inches Of soil msst be mellow and finely divided, and the portion beneath must be well compaeted
 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 all under some conditions. but finely puiverized top soil well packed down and forming q perfect union with the suhsoil is urged for every section.
 Early blowing aud thorough tillage of the pIoWed soil results n 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 germination of the seed and for the early fall growth of the seedlings-a much more important thing the experts say, than many wheat growers consider it. | 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 ire uuent 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 or wheat. The result is that poor crops are often harvested where q little more attention to moisture preservation would have assured good crops.
 Harrow Close After Flow.
 If 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 haf- row sbonld closely follow the blow both operations being done tbe same dov and as close together as possible After that. cultivation should be given as often us neeeSsary-whieh usually mems as often as posslble-unti the wheat k sown. The cultivation may be with harrow or disk or drag or roller. Ii aecomplishes several desirable things. It kills the weeds. 1t settles the subsoil and makes it firm. It mann tains n soil mulch above. And none ot these things can be done if the ground is not ploWed early.
 Now "early blowing is an indefinite form IT may mean one thing to one farmer and an entirely different thihs to another farmer But 1t is thihs for which exact dates can hardly De set gnly blowing IS certainly early nIow;no for winter wheat. The hrst bo,f of August is early blowing. Later than that is likely to be late plowlhg' "As earlx as possible" is the safe rule. As soon as the wheat or oats or clover is off is the time to began ploWlhe.
 Diskino Help.
 Sorne malleshlfts may help good deol IT fl Is absolutely impossible to begin blowing SIS soon as the grouho is cIenr of this years crop double dlskihs sba,,ld he restored to at once. That cbons I'D and at least partly pulverizes the top soll--makes passapie ihoien and retains much of the moisture untii the blowing can be done. Also. It kiiis the weeds or, at least, eflppies tlleih enourb to minimize tue damage they cnn do by sucking the moisture out or the soil.
 If wheat Is to follow 8 cultivated crop, such as corn or soy beans' Ire ouent cultivation given to that crop will maintain soil mulch and preserve moisture. If level cultivation IS Prae- tlced n good seed bed usually can be prepared by disking ana harfo"ins after the crop Is removed if weeds