CEREAL CULTIVATION WESTERN AREA 411 



436. Cultivating grain. The use of the roller at seed- 

 ing time has been mentioned. After spring seeding on 

 spring-plowed land, the soil may be loose enough in some 

 instances to justify packing. At the Lacombe, Alberta, 

 Experiment Farm, on a loose humus soil, the use of 

 the packer after seeding increased the yield of oats from 



FIG. 135. Harrowing winter wheat near Nephi, Utah. 



69.45 bushels for the unpacked to 83.36 bushels for the 

 packed plats. 



Cultivation of the growing crop is often advocated in 

 this area, and is practiced rather generally in the Great 

 Basin. This is usually done with the toothed harrow (Fig. 

 135). Apparently the practice is sometimes beneficial, 

 particularly the cultivation of winter grain in the spring. 

 The greater part of the experimental evidence, however, 

 seems to be against it, especially when the cost of the 

 operation is considered. 



Experiments on the spring cultivation of winter wheat have been 

 conducted at Nephi, Utah, substation since 1909. The average 

 results for 5 years show a gain of 1.06 bushels an acre in favor of 

 non-cultivation. In 4 out of the 5 years, there was practically no 

 difference in the yields from the 2 methods. At the Moro, Oregon, 



