The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-10-01
CHAMPION WHEAT
GROWER OF WORLD
NEIGHBOR OF MONTANA FOLKS
IN SASKATCHEWAN TELLS
HOW 1T is DONE
Advocates Deep Flowing, and De-
clares that Importance of Selecting
Good Seed Cannot be Over-Esti-
mated; Process of Selection Must
be Practiced.

Mp north of Montana in Saskatche-
wan, where farming conditions are
much the same as they are in this
state, lives Seagar Wheeler, the
champion wheat grower of the world
on his Maple Grove Farm, near the
town of Rosthern. Winner of innu-
merable prizes for growing wheat,
oats and barley, his fame is great
enough to let the whole western
part of the American continent share
| in it. The story of his achievements
is an inspiration, and the details of
his work are of great practical value
| to all wheat farmers.
| Wheeler has been growing grain
there for 20 years, and since 1911 he
has been capturing the majority of
the capital prizes at the international
| land shows held in this country. His
first big prize for wheat was award
! ed at the New York Land Show in
1911, when he won $1,000 in gold
offered by the Canadian Pacific rail-
way for the best hard red spring
wheat grown on the entire continent
In 1916, and again in 1918, he
won sweepstakes for wheat at the in
ternational land shows at Ell Paso
and Kansas City.
Practical Suggestions
Wheeler was asked to give as
many practical pointers as he could
about wheat farming. He wrote in
reply:
II am strong advocate of deeper
blowing at all times. By deep plow-
ing l mean any kind deeper than six
inches.
"The gospel of good farming is to
do all things well. One cannot force
nature, but one can work hand-in-
hand with her, and he who reads her
Alright cannot fail. 1t is simple Cos
pei after all.
"A perfect type of wheat should
possess high milling qualities. as the
first consideration, high yielding
qualities, good length of straw to
suit every condition of season and
locality, good stooling or tillering
qualities that make for high yields,
erect straw and erect, upright head.
Great opportunity comes to the
grower who will lay down a seed plot
OF an acre or two and devote 1t to |
growing the best strain of registered
seed to supply the demand from the |
grower of larger areas.
Importance Of Seed
Exceedingly important is the part |
played by seed selection in crop pro-
duction. That is not sufficiently |
realized by the majority of grain
growers. 1t is equally important, !
whether we select our own seed or I
use seed bred up by others. Better
seed means better, surer, safer crops.
Good seed, especially that with
pedigree, can be depended upon to
be uniform in termination, growth
and ripening, to give higher yields
and to possess better quality. This
stock, selected from the most yigor-
ous plants, can hold It's own in the
.feld under unfavorable seasonal fac
,ors. Plump, sound seed of high
termination makes for rapid growth
n the early part of the season when
conditions are most favorable.
Termination
In the wheat growing areas of the
American continent the average yield
8 low, as compared with those of
european countries. The reason is
lot far to seek. There is something
wrong with our methods of grain
All the seed put in the
round does not reproduce. The seed
5 partly at fault. If all terminate
he weaker plants are crowded out
y the more vigorous. Seed of mixed
trains or races is mostly to blame.
he variety may be fairly true, but
here is difference in the charac-
or of the grains; some have the abil- I