332 THE SMALL GRAINS 



front by a shovel which opens a furrow similar to the 

 lister furrow in corn planting, though not so wide and 

 deep as the latter. By this method, the seed is put deep 

 in the compacted soil, thus favoring germination and root 

 formation, and the plants are thereby protected from 

 danger of exposure to the weather through heaving of the 

 soil by freezing. The rate of seeding, also, is a little less 

 to the acre by the open-furrow method than by the use 

 of the drill. 



358. Cultivation of the crop. The winter grain crop 

 is not often benefited anywhere in the Eastern area by 

 cultivation of any kind in the fall or spring. On heavy 

 soils in the very dry seasons a light harrowing in the 

 spring may prove profitable, or the use of a corrugated 

 roller where the soil is badly heaved may be advisable. 

 If rolling is done at all, it should be followed by light har- 

 rowing. In Iowa, it is found that harrowing winter wheat 

 in the spring, lengthwise of the rows, is desirable, if the 

 surface soil is baked at the time. This method also gives 

 clover seed that is sown in the wheat in the spring a 

 chance to take root. 



359. Mowing and pasturing. Winter cereals, in 

 good seasons, often make too rank a growth in the fall, 

 especially in the Southern states. This condition will 

 result in winter injury if jointing occurs, and it becomes 

 necessary in such cases to cut back the crop with a 

 mower, or, what is better, to pasture it. Rye or barley 

 may even be sown early on purpose for a pasture or cover 

 crop. Excessive pasturing any time, pasturing when the 

 soil is wet, and late spring pa^uring are injurious, and 

 should not be practiced if a crop of grain *Ts desired. 

 Mowing or pasturing may decrease lodging. Spring 

 oats may be cut back sometimes to advantage for the 



