THE WHEAT CULTTJKIST. 201 



prepared, that the growing wheat will outstrip the 

 weeds, and maintain the ascendency until harvest time. 

 It is contended by some writers, that the efficiency of 

 the preparatory tillage is lost by the fine particles of 

 the soil coalescing, or running together, thus forming a 

 crust over the surface, which excludes the atmospheric 

 supplies of nourishment to the roots of the growing 

 plants. In numerous instances, particularly when the 

 soil is very heavy, long before the crop has reached the 

 period of perfect maturity, the soil will be found almost 

 as impervious to water and as firm as it was before the 

 ground was ploughed preparatory to sowing the seed. 

 This is frequently the case. When carting the crop 

 after harvest, the surface is sometimes so firm and in- 

 durated, that the tracks of the teams and loaded wheels 

 can scarcely be traced. Instead of cultivating the 

 growing plants, prepare the soil as directed in the sec- 

 ond volume of the Young Farmer's Manual, by the 

 author, under the head of Keeping the Best Soil at the 

 Surface. 



HARROWING WINTER WHEAT. 



The practice of harrowing winter wheat in the spring 

 of the year has been frequently recommended by some 

 practical farmers and certain agricultural writers, while 

 others have denounced this operation as productive of 

 more injury than benefit to the growing plants. It is 

 by no means difficult to explain why harrowing winter 

 wheat in the spring may prove beneficial in one in- 

 stance and not in another ; and it is easy to show when 

 the young wheat plants may be benefited by harrow- 

 ing and when a harrow would do far greater injury than 



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