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8 The Bulletin. 



allow the seedbed to thoroughly settle. The disk harrow should 

 be run over the land after it is plowed so as to further fine the 

 surface and aid in settling and becoming compact. Previous prepara- 

 tion of the land is of the greatest importance. When we recall that 

 every pound of dry matter in wheat requires over 300 pounds of 

 water for its production, the necessity for so preparing the land 

 that the greatest amount of moisture may be rendered available to 

 the plant will become apparent. With a view to the conservation of 

 moisture, the land intended for corn which precedes a crop of wheat 

 should be well and deeply broken in the fall or winter and thoroughly 

 disked in the spring before planting the corn. Where possible, a 

 crop of green manuring for soil improvement should occupy the land 

 during the winter and be turned under in the spring to precede the 

 crop of corn. Where practicable, the cultivation of the corn should 

 be level, as this is best, as a rule, for corn and leaves the land in the 

 best shape for preparation for wheat or other small grain. 



Where good land, which has been in desirable rotation, has been 

 well prepared and well cultivated in corn the preparation indicated 

 above, of thorough disking or light plowing, will put the soil in 

 ideal condition for the wheat crop, as it insures a deep section of 

 soil which has been thoroughly broken and pulverized and which 

 has become compacted by standing during the growth of a clean 

 culture crop, on the top of which has been formed a shallow, fine 

 seedbed. This method opens up the soil for the absorption of moisture 

 and also reduces its porosity so that the fibrous roots of the wheat 

 plant may be able to extend their feeding ground to the greatest pos- 

 sible limit. Where wheat is to follow peas, wheat, or other crops, 

 the same principle as to seedbed should be kept fairly in mind. iSFot 

 infrequently wheat follows wheat or other small grain where weeds 

 and grass have grown to a greater or less height during the interval 

 between the harvest of the previous crop and seeding time. Where 

 this growth is considerable it is likely the best practice to mow the 

 weeds and grass and allow them to dry for some time on the land, 

 after which they may be turned under, the object being to reduce 

 the bulk of the weeds and grass, and at the same time add organic 

 matter to the soil. Where the growth of weeds and grass is not 

 very large, they may be turned under, but in both cases the plowing 

 should be done at least a month before seeding time, so as to allow 

 the ground to settle. Disk and smoothing harrows should be used 

 liberally in cutting up the soil to aid it in settling and becoming 

 firm. A heavy roller may be run over the freshly plowed land soon 

 after breaking or after a rain to break the clods and lumps and 

 compact the soil. It is well to follow the roller with a smoothing 

 harrow, especially if seeding time is near at hand, so as to form a 

 mulch to prevent evaporation of water. 



