204 THE WHEAT CULTUKIST. 



of wheat on inverted sod have ended in complete fail 

 ures. In Monroe County, ~N. Y., one of the noted lo 

 calities for producing fair crops of winter wheat, many 

 excellent farmers were accustomed to raise wheat on 

 sod ground, by preparing the land in tjie following 

 manner : 



About the first of September the sod is neatly plough 

 ed about eight inches deep, with a lap furrow, after 

 which a roller is passed over it, when a thin coat of 

 good barn-yard compost is spread evenly over the surface, 

 and is either well harrowed in, or is turned under very 

 shallowly with the gang-plows, which usually cut from 

 three to four feet in width at one through. The 

 wheat is then put in about the fifth or tenth of Sep 

 tember. 



It will be perceived by this system of management 

 with the soil, that the surface of the seed-bed is prepared in 

 exact accordance with the requirements of the habit of 

 the wheat plant. Read the remarks under the head of 

 the Habit of Wheat, on a preceding page. 



By passing a roller over the ploughed land, the furrow 

 slices which lay up loosely, are pressed down firmly 

 together. Then, by scarifying the surface with gang- 

 ploughs, or cultivators, so as to pulverize the surface to 

 the depth of about three or four inches, and fertilizing 

 the surface with a rich compost, so that most of the roots 

 will spread out horizontally, instead of striking down 

 ward vertically, the young plants will be well prepared 

 to resist the sinister influences of the cold weather, which 

 arise from the upheaval and settling back of the surface 

 of the soil. 



But I would not, as a general rule, recommend the 

 practice of attempting to raise wheat on sod ground, un- 



