FARMING ON LIGHT SOILS. 71 



it seldom fails to sprout, and being a little below the surface of the ground 

 it is not so easily affected with early drouths. 



The principal crops upon light soils should be clover, corn and rye. I 

 find that wheat draws heavily upon light soils and does not yield as much in 

 proportion as corn. A light soil that will produce 20 bushels of wheat per 

 acre will produce 100 bushels of corn, while a natural wheat land in rela- 

 tively as good condition will produce 30 to 35 bushels of wheat and no more 

 corn than the light soil. Since it is doubtful if it pays to raise wheat on 

 heavier soils, why should I raise wheat at all? 



Light soils are not natural pasture lands, so I should keep but little stock 

 on the farm through the summer; 100 sheep turned on to clover in the 

 spring will keep down and destroy enough to fatten 200 wethers in the 

 winter. Having no stock on the farm through the summer it gives a chance 

 to cut plenty of hay, and after the hay is off the clover springs up again and 

 makes an abundance of fall feed. 



In August, buy cattle or sheep suitable for fattening, (the number to be 

 governed by the size of your hay-mow or corn-crib) and turn on to your 

 clover early enough to prevent its seeding, as I do not think it pays to cut 

 clover seed. This stock should make a vigorous growth by fall when they 

 should be taken up and made to consume the straw, cornstalks, hay and 

 coarse grain through the winter and be fat ready for the spring market, 

 leaving nearly all that grew on the farm converted into a fertilizer that sup- 

 plies the wants of all kinds of crops. 



With this mode of farming the princijjal crop of grain should be corn. 

 We should therefore give it the most attention. It should be planted upon 

 clover sod, all the manure that has been made the previous winter should bfr 

 hauled out and spread upon the corn ground, and if 20, 30, or 40 acres is 

 planted, let the manure cover the entire ground, spreading the best upon 

 the poorest places. Before plowing, sow plaster at the rate of 75 pounds 

 per acre. Plow not to exceed six inches deep, harrow thoroughly, work four 

 feet each way and plant three kernels in a hill. Begin cultivating before 

 the corn is up, with a spring-tooth cultivator made for the purpose, with 

 pole and handles, cultivate until the corn is two or three inches high, then 

 change to a large tooth cultivator and cultivate deep until harvest, going- 

 over the last time with a fine tooth to level the ground. As soon as the corn 

 is cut, or not later than the Ip-st of August if the corn is not cut, cultivate 

 and sow to rye and drag it in. This will make good pasture in the fall and 

 early spring. If the land is poor, seed down and cut the rye. The rye Avill 

 make excellent feed for cattle wheij ground with corn. If the land will bear 

 it, pasture until the rye begins to head out and then plow it under for fal- 

 low; sow to wheat and seed down again, two crops is enough for light soils. 

 The soil needs to be shaded from the hot rays of the sun through the long 

 summer months. But it needs no rest. Keep seeded to clover, sow plenty 

 of plaster, and utilize every load of manure that is made on the farm and it 

 is possible to get a living off a sandy soil. 



Pre?. Willits: Some years ago I bought an old stock farm with barns and 

 yards that covered ten acres. J ust back of the barn in sod was a three acre calf 

 lot. I removed the barns and plowed that area and raised such a croj) of corn 

 that you would not believe me if I should tell of it. The soil was light, sandy, 

 and the crops held for a while and then through a strip in the middle two 

 or three rods wide the crop failed, the corn was yellow. There was no good 

 sub soil. Now what can you do with such a strip ? 



