Milford chronicle., 1923-09-28
ECONOMIC WHEAT PRODUCTION
G. L. Schuster
University of Delaware

Recognizing the fact that wheat
ranks as one of the leading crops in
Delaware and is worth about three
ana one-half million dollars to the
delaware farmers, the Experiment
Statlon workers at Newark have Civ
en- considerable attention to its pro-
auction and improvement. The cor
rect use of fertilizers, selection of va
rleties, preparation of seed bed and
treatment for diseases are of para
mount Importance. This season the
department of AgronOmy under the
direction of Professor G. L. Schuster
went to one of the local mills and Sc
cured four different samples of wheat
that had been brought in by local far
mers. Three of these samples of wheat
were in such condition that thew were
only worth from 40 to 65 cents a busb-
Ell II sale could be made at all. The
other sample was worth 80 cents a
bushel. The first three samples mem |
toned could have been improved in
quality no doubt by the proper use of |
fertilizers and the proper handling of
the grain after harvesting. Twelve
years work at the Station shows that
the use fertilizers increases the
quality of the grain, favors stooling,
lessons injury from winter killing and
increases disease resistance in the
wheat. During some of the poorest
years of the test the unfertilized wheat
weighed only A lbs. per measured
bushel while the fertilized wheat
weighed 81 lbs. per bushel. This is
sufficient difference to make the fer
tilted wheat grade No. and that of
the unfertilized wheat the lowest
grade known; sample grade. During
the best years the unfertilized wheat ,
weighed 81 lbs. and the fertilized
wheat weighed 81 lbs. per measured '
Oushel. This would make the unfer- :
ilized wheat Grade No. 8 and the fer
ilized wheat Grade No. 1. Thus can
De seen the influence of fertilizers up-
IN the quality and grade of wheat. !
The kind of fertilizer to use de- 7
lends on the local condition and the :
PRACTICES in vogue. Where a farmer i
-eeps plenty of live stock, grows le- Z
.umes regularly and has manure to
id, probably 800 to 400 lbs. of 1870 d
Acid phosphate will be sufficient t
Where there are plenty of legumes Y
nd an occasional green manure crop "
lowed under 300 lbs. of a 2-12-4 fer o
lizer may be advisable or a O-1O-4 Il
lay be sufficient. If there are no le- l
umes grown or manure to add it may
e necessary to use more of the 2-12-4 U
r even a 3-10-6.
Twelve years results compiled at d.
ne Experiment Station show that IL L.
here 450 lbs. of fertilizer similar to u
ne 2-12-4 is used there is an in e'
rease of 17.8 bushels per acre over
nfertiliZed land. Figuring the fertil- 81 81
er at $4,000 ton and the wheat at ~ ~
)c a bushel there is a gain of 1882 III
er acre. Fertilizers also stabilize the III
elds. Where there were no fertiliz- an
s used in the experiments there was AZ
variation of 25O9d in the yields dur III
g the 12-year period while on the d, aI
rtilized plots there was a difference II
only 1880 in the same period. =.
Pure seed of a known variety is al III
important. Ten years work at the cT'
alton shows that of the bearded va OF
eties StOners Miracle is the leader ar
d of the smooth varieties Leaps Pro- sSl pa
c. The seed should be recleaned. at
eding chaff, shrivilled and broken PEI
rnels will lnOt make wheat crop iOo
out one peck in ten bushels will -
removed by recleaning. This makes wa
A lbs. per acre when seeded at the an'
e of pks. On 25-bu. crop there
i be loss of about bu. per acre
yield or $2.7O. 1t costs about .OSc fro
: bu. to reclean the seed or 4 1-2 fro
: acre seeded. This makes a net owl
n of $265 per acre. ten
is another item that re- so
.es wheat yields. The most common end
eases are loose smut and stinking go,
ut or bunt. The first named appears to
he time the wheat is in flower. The one
,cted heads ripen early, turn black mol
blow away injecting other wheat way
ds. The bunt grains are dark fun
wn to black and when mashed con- "
no germ but has pOwdery mass. -
Ter of these diseases may be treat -
Directions for treatment may be
lred by writing the Department of
Newark, Delaware, or the