The Hope pioneer., 1922-04-27
CARE IN SEEDING
HELPS FLAX YIELD

Late April or early May flax seed
ing has yielded two more bushels Of
flax per acre than late May seeding,
as an average for five consecutive
years at the Agricultural college, and
about four more bushels than when
seeded near June ], while seeding near
June 10 has been distinctly poorer than
late May or June l seeding, according
to Il. E. StOa. assistant agrOnOmiSt ut
the North Dakota experiment station.
Clean corn or potato ground is the
best place to SOW. flax, says III. L. Boil
ley, plant pathologist at tile station.
Late seeded flax, such as late plant.
ings OH new land, sometimes gives very
good results" Mr. Stoa says, "but
these good yields frequently occur in
spite of the late seeding, rather than
because OF it. The later the seeding,
the more the crop is dependent on fav-
orable fall weather for maturing.
Early seeding takes advantage of the
greater amount Of moisture in the soil
in the spring. 1t also makes 1t possi-
BILE for the crop to mature before the
hot weather sets in. The early seeded
crop on old land is in a better position
to compete with weeds, especially
pigeon grass. which does not germ!n-
ate until the beginning of warmer
weather. or about June l. The wilt
disease likewise is more destructive
when the temperature is high.
eff the crop is seeded so that it ma
lures i'll good season, there is not the
added inconvenience usually expert
enced during the threshing season, due
to the flax crop not being ready.
| ''To lessen the chances Of failure
with flax and to maintain the popular.
[ ity of the crop, flax should have the
advantages possible to give it. Early
seeding is one Of these advantages.
Farmers more and more recognize this
fact, and while a great portion Of the
crop is still seeded after all other
crops are in, the tendency is to earlier
seeding"
"The clean corn or potato land upon
which the flax is to be sown should
uot be plowed or disced to make it
loose, but simply disced sufficiently
to allow the surface to be leveled SO
as to give thoroughly even surface
drainage" Mr.. Bolley says.
"The land should be disced at the
earliest possible date when the mois
ture condition of the ground will allow
the work, packed Immediately after
the disc, then drilled in the freshly
worked ground. Put the packer on be
hind the drill and give it another pack.
ing Plant the flax as early as you can
get on the land. Take chance on
having it frosted Off in the spring. Get
it to grow before the pigeon grass and
other weeds get started.
"The best varieties of flax seed are
rather small. Twenty pounds of good
seed will certainly be sufficient. II
the seed bed is properly made, IL to is
pounds will do. A better way is tt
ascertain how thick the drill is drop
ing the seed in the row. If the flax
is falling ut the rate Of approXimate,
two or three seeds per inch on vel
prepared seed bed, it will be plenty
thick enough
"On old lands which have previoul!
grown flax Or which have been sur
rounded by flax fields. it will be vel
to be sure that the seed used is a relia
Bile resistant variety. Experience Will
flax in the Red River valley indicate:
clearly that the chances of q reliable
crop are greatly increased by havin:
the flax seeded approximately the las
week in April or the first week in May
While there have been cases of fla,
being frosted off in the spring, thi!
seems to happen only when grount
freeze comes at the time when the fla,
seedlings are about one or two day:
out of the ground. At other period.
the young flax seems to be extremel!
resistant to frost. In the fall the fla,