178 



or wet. It is when soil is in this condition that the par- 

 ticles seem most readily to separate, not simply into dust 

 but these minute lumps made from slightly moist soil when 

 dry will never blow. 



Having had fifteen years experience in the northwest 

 we are well aware of this blowing difficulty on the lighter 

 soils, which can be entirely prevented by care with reference 

 to the conditions of the soil -as above stated. It is very 

 desirable in following this plan to keep the weeds entirely 

 clean from the field. Don't for a moment encourage the 

 idea that weeds are valuable to turn under, for there is 

 so little value to them that it is not worthy of considera- 

 tion, but the water drawn out of the soil by these weeds 

 while growing is far more valuable to the coming crop. 

 Watch it carefully. In the spring time try to catch 

 this ground as early as possible with the harrow, and put 

 in your seed not to exceed one-half bushel to the acre. 

 This quantity is ample. 



As noted in the following section of this chapter the 

 largest yields we have ever got, 62 bushels per acre of 

 winter wheat on summer tilled land, was grown from 20 

 pounds of seed, one-third of a bushel. Notice cut No. 16, 

 which represents the ideal condition of the soil. The lower 

 portion of the furrow or plowed portion has been made 

 fine and firm, first by plowing when the soil was in perfect 

 condition to plow, as explained under heading of "Plow- 

 ing," then fined and firmed by following with the sub- 

 surface packer, and the surface kept loose by cultivation. 



THE DKILL 



The drill used is what we term the closed heel shoe drill, 

 with shoes six or seven inches apart. It is our aim to let 

 the shoe run from one-half to one inch into the firm moist 

 soil beneath the mulch as shown in the illustration at the 



