128 THE WHEAT CULTUKIST. 



Now, the great practical question again recurs — to 

 which I have previously alluded — what can the hus- 

 bandman do to avoid injury from freezing and thawing 

 of the soil ? I again repeat the answer which was 

 hinted at under the Habit of the Wheat Plant, p. 49, 

 that the seed must be planted shallow. If that kernel 

 of grain shown in the last illustration, Fig. 29, had 

 been deposited near the lower end of the bulb, all the 

 seminal or primary roots, and all the coronal or second- 

 ary roots would be so close together that they would 

 tend to form a mat of earth, like a sod, which would 

 rise and fall with the expansion and contraction of the 

 surface of the ground when it freezes and thaws. By 

 this means, the injury arising from the heaving of the 

 soil will be avoided, provided the best, the mellowest, 

 and richest soil be kept at the surface of the ground. 



The foregoing explanation of the management of 

 wheat is applicable to winter grain — to rye as well as 

 to growing wheat. In the culture of spring grain, we 

 have no such difficulties to contend with. Let this sec- 

 tion be read in connection with deep and shallow seed- 

 ing on another page. I am fully satisfied, after thirty 

 years' observation on this subject, that farmers must 

 make themselves familiar with the principles of growth 

 and of cultivation herein laid down, before they will be 

 able to raise winter wheat w T ith satisfactory success. 



Best Quality of Soil for Wheat. 



Many farmers have inquired, with much solicitude, 

 why wheat will not grow on any soil that is fertile and 

 mellow ? — or, why a soil will not produce a good crop 

 of wheat that produces fair crops of everything else '( 



