CULTIVATION AND GROWTH 37 



ing winter wheat in very early spring is also 

 claimed to help compact the soil without injuring 

 the wheat plant. This practice must be carefully 

 watched, however, so that it is not permitted 

 when the ground is too soft or that it may not be 

 continued too late in the spring. As a general 

 rule wheat receives no further labor after seeding 

 until time of harvest. 



The Growth of Wheat. - Though wheat is not 

 cultivated after planting as is corn, still it 

 receives much attention. In the autumn the 

 farmer watches its growth with interest. The 

 wheat comes up in a week or ten days after seed- 

 ing if the weather and soil conditions are favorable. 

 Winter wheat grows to be a small grassy plant 

 before the ground freezes ; and the fields viewed 

 from a distance appear green. If the fall growth 

 is good, an extensive root system is developed and 

 the plant will likely survive the winter. The 

 greatest danger lies in a very dry autumn, which 

 prevents the proper growth, or in the presence of 

 the Hessian fly. This latter is a small insect 

 which attacks the wheat plant near the base, caus- 

 ing the leaves and stem to turn yellow and die. 

 While it works some damage in the autumn, a 

 more serious menace lies in the fact that the 

 mature insects are developed at this time. When 

 these insects infest the wheat field, there is grave 

 danger of their becoming so numerous the next 



