8 



View. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



Although wheat *is grown under a very wide range of 

 climatic conditions, the bulk of the world's crop is produced 

 in the temperate zones. The quality of wheat in the different 



22 parts of the world varies with the climate, and even in this 

 country wheat differs in quality in the various wheat-producing 

 sections. 



CHOICE AND PREPARATION OF THE SOIL. 



Light fertile clay and medium fertile loam soils of good 

 depth and well drained are best adapted to wheat culture. 

 Heavy clays are too compact and are inclined to bake, and 

 highly fertile loams tend to lodge the crop. Light clay soils 

 having the proper degree of compactness and being suf- 

 ficiently retentive of moisture are better adapted to winter 

 wheat than are the loams. The clay soils are usually up- 

 lands, and the loam soils are either lowlands or prairies. 

 The alluvial soils of river bottoms, if not too rich, usually make 

 good wheat lands, because they are deep and fertile and 

 generally made up of clay, sand, and humus in proportions, 

 making them friable and porous and giving good drainage. 

 The loams are primarily corn lands, but in connection with 

 corn culture are well suited to spring wheat. Very light, loose 

 or sandy soils and wet, peaty, sour lands are unfit for the 

 wheat crop. 



Drainage is necessary to a profitable development of the 

 wheat plant, and a permeable subsoil is especially important 

 during the most active stages of its growth and to winter 

 wheat also in the late fall and winter. Where the subsoil is 

 not sufficiently permeable, proper drainage should be provided 

 by putting down tile, as this is generally the most satisfactory 

 and economical method of draining. 



The character of the soil influences the yield to a greater 

 extent than it affects the quality, which is largely controlled 

 by climatic conditions. That the two factors are closely 

 connected is shown by the durum wheats, which require rich 

 humus soils and hot and dry seasons. Soils high in organic 

 matter tend to increase the protein content and the hardness 

 of the grain. 



Land for wheat should be plowed several weeks before sow- 

 ing time in order to bring about the most favorable conditions 

 for a rapid and regular germination of the seed. After plow- 



23 ing, the soil should be allowed to settle and the moisture 

 content at the surface to increase before the seed is sown. 

 By harrowing or disking the land at intervals from the time 



24 it is plowed until it is seeded down weeds are destroyed and 



