farmers' institutes. 653 



above either the primary or secondary roots. The secondary roots 

 are always developed above the primary ones, and almost invariably 

 within one inch of the surface of the gi-oimd, no difference how much 

 deeper the grain is planted. First a bulb forms from which both the 

 secondary plants and roots start, and the grain and primary roots having 

 fulfilled their mission perish, and thereafter the soil supports of the 

 wheat plants must be furnished by the secondary roots; hence a quick 

 development of a vigorous wheat bulb is all-important to safeguard the 

 young wheat as much as possible against unfavorable weather and insect 

 depredations, and the best means for attaining this are shallow seeding 

 of fully developed gi-ains of unimpaired vitality, in a rich, properly 

 prepared, moist soil; sowing early enough so warm weather will hasten 

 germination and bulb development. If Hessian flies are numerous, sow 

 late enough so the fly season will be about over when the secondary plants 

 or stools appear. This will be found the best plan to get a winter-proof 

 stand in spite of the fall brood of flies, and will also lessen the effects of 

 the spring brood by having a good stand of vigorous well-rooted plants. 

 A number of wheat plants dug up a feAV weeks ago and brought with me 

 will furnish some valuable object lessons for those interested in wheat 

 culture and will verify and make clear what I have said. (Here deep and 

 shallow rooted plants were shown— some with Hessian flies in the pupal 

 or "flaxseed" stage, furnishing a convincing object lesson in proof of the 

 writer's views.) 



For years the United States has been the chief wheat exporting country 

 of the world, and perhaps three fourths grown in the upper Mississippi 

 Basin and a narrow strip along the Pacific coast. Can we, and is it desir- 

 able to hold this position in the future? From my point of view I can 

 answer both questions in the affirmative. 



With proper reciprocity treaties; with American built ships, manned 

 by American officers, to carry our products to foreign countries and, when 

 desirable to shorten the distance thousands of miles to pass through an 

 American ship canal of a few miles connecting the Atlantic and Pacific 

 oceans, built and controlled by the United States; then with our labor- 

 saving machinery skillfully and economically handled, and with unexcelled 

 inland transportation by railroads, rivers and lakes and rapid and cheap 

 ocean transportation to every part of the world, we can grow surplus wheat 

 profitably and compete with any other country on the face of the globe. 



Then the question should be: "How can we grow the most wheat per 

 acre with the least exhaustion of soil fertility?" 



