The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1922-06-29

ing has yielded two more bushels o.
flax per acre than late May seeding
as an average for five consecutive
years at the Agricultural college, an(
about four more bushels than wher
seeded near June L. while seeding neal
June 10 has been distinctly poorer than
late May or June l seeding, according
to T. e. Stoa, assistant agronOmist al
the North Dakota experiment station
Clean corn or potato ground is the
best place to SOW flax, says II. L. Boil.
ley plant pathologist at the station.
Late seeded flax, such as late plant.
| ings on 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 OH fav'
orable fall weather for maturing.
Early seeding takes advantage of the
greater amount Of moisture in the soil
in the spring. It also makes it posi-
bic 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 germin.
ate until the beginning Of warmer
weather, Or about June !. The wilt
disease likewise is more destructive
when the temperature is high.
"1f the crop is seeded so that it ma
lures in good season, there is not the
added Inconvenience usually expert.
enced during the threshing season, due
to the flax crop not being ready.
ITO 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 il
loose, but simply disced sufficiently
to allow the surface to be leveled 50
as to give a 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, Is to Is
pounds will do. A better way is to
ascertain how thick the drill is drop.
ing the seed in the row. If the fax
is falling at the rate Of approximately
two or three seeds per inch on well
prepared seed bed, it will be plenty
thick enough.
"On old lands which have Dreviouly
grown flax or which have been sur.
rounded by flax fields, it will be we'll
to be sure that the seed used is a relia.
Die resistant variety. Experience with
flax in the Red River valley indicates
clearly that the chances of reliable
crop arc greatly increased by having
fhe flax seeded approximately the last
week in April or the first week in Nav,
While there have been cases of flax
being frosted off in the spring, this
seems to happen only when a ground
freeze comes at the time when the flax
seedlings are about one or two DAYS
out of the ground. At other periods
the young flax seems to be extremely
resistant to frost. In the fall, the flax
crop can stand practically no frost"
,sx-sy, s,>%,.