3 56 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



These tests show that 2.12 bushels less wheat were ob- 

 tained for August than for July plowing, and that September 

 plowing produced 15.23 bushels of wheat per acre less than 

 August plowing. Of the two plots receiving identically the 

 same amount of work, one plowed in August and the other in 

 September, the August-plowed plot made 11.25 bushels per acre 

 more than the September-plowed plot; What greater evidence 

 is needed of the benefit resulting from early plowing? 



ROTATING WHEAT WITH OTHER CROPS. 



Wheat was grown this season (1913) on ground that was in 

 oats in 1912 and corn in 1911. The ground was plowed seven 

 inches deep in the fall of 1910 for corn and six inches deep in the 

 fall of 1911 for oats. Five plots were prepared upon this field 

 for wheat. Three of these were plowed in July, at depths of 

 three inches, seven inches and twelve inches, respectively. One 

 was plowed on August 15th seven inches deep and the other was 

 plowed September 15th three inches deep. The plot plowed 

 twelve inches deep in July was plowed with the Spalding deep 

 tillage implement. There was practically no difference in the 

 yield of the plots plowed at different depths in July; the three- 

 inch plowing produced 44.08 bushels per acre, the seven-inch 

 plowing produced 44.66 bushels per acre and the twelve-inch 

 plowing produced 44 bushels per acre. The cost of preparing 

 the land, however, was $8.10 per acre for the twelve-inch plow- 

 ing, $4.85 for the seven-inch plowing and $4.35 for the three- 

 inch plowing, leaving a return of $27.10 after paying for the cost 

 of preparation for the twelve-inch plowing, $30.88 for the seven- 

 inch plowing and $30.91 for the three-inch plowing. 



It appears that little or no benefit results from deep plow- 

 ing for wheat when the ground is rotated with other crops and 

 when it received a thorough and deep plowing at least once in 

 three years. The benefit of deep plowing as compared with 

 shallow plowing, when each method is practiced continuously, 

 has already been indicated and shows an increased yield for deep 

 plowing of 13.5 bushels per acre. The plot plowed August 15th 

 produced 3.53 bushels per acre less wheat than the July-plowed 

 plot, while the September-plowed plot produced 19.16 bushels 

 per acre less than the plot plowed seven inches deep in July. 

 These results again emphasize the benefits secured from early 

 plowing. 



