II. SOIL PROJECTS 



PROJECT 6 



PREPARATION OF A SEED BED FOR WHEAT 



Statement. The wheat plant makes a part of its growth during the fall, winter, and early spring, 

 when the chemical and bacterial actions in the soil are at their lowest point of activity. These 

 actions which liberate food for the growing plant are most active when the season is moist and 

 warm. As a consequence land that will produce fairly well of crops which are cultivated and which 

 grow only through the spring and summer, may not produce wheat well unless the farmer takes steps 

 to assist nature in unlocking the plant food in the soil. He accomplishes this by plowing the land 

 a month or two before the seed is sown and by harrowing the land frequently enough to keep down 

 the weeds. By this means also moisture is accumulated and conserved, because land, when plowed, 



absorbs the moisture which falls as rain, 

 and it is conserved because the weeds are 

 kept down so that they do not rob the 

 soil of moisture as they do on unplowed 

 land. Available plant food is conserved 

 also, as the weeds are not allowed to 

 grow to use up the food as rapidly as it 

 becomes available. 



Material. Plot of ground which may 

 be seeded to wheat ; seed wheat. 



Directions, i. Divide the plot selected 

 into three sections. Prepare the first sec- 

 tion by plowing, disking, and harrowing 

 it at least two months before, time for 

 seeding. Prepare the second section by 

 plowing and harrowing it just before 

 Fig. 154. How the yield may be increased by timely plowing seeding time. Prepare the third section 



by disking to a depth of three inches and harrowing, just before seeding time. At seeding time 

 harrow the first section, leave the other two sections as they are, and seed them all to wheat. Plant 

 the wheat about an inch deep. Observe the differences in growth from time to time. 



Test by pulling up different plants. If the seed bed was properly prepared, the plants will break 

 off instead of being pulled out by the roots. If they leave the soil, it is because the seed bed has 

 not been compacted sufficiently. Notice the methods used in preparing soil for wheat on different 

 farms. Fill in the blank on the opposite page. Observe the growth and yield of wheat sown on 

 unplowed corn land as compared with the three plots described above. Explain why farmers do 

 not plow corn stubble land when sowing it to wheat. 



Grow a field of wheat for market. Choose seed of a variety that is known to be well adapted 

 to your locality. Prepare the land according to the best information you have, and keep a strict 

 account of the cost of seed and all operations until the crop is marketed. Record the results and 

 strike a balance to show the profit or loss in the operation. Compare your results with those of 

 the best farmers of the neighborhood; with some of the poorest farmers. Note the particulars in 

 which your methods differ from theirs. Explain wherein your method excels theirs. 



Note. This project may be used as an individual project or as a group project. 



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