332 MITCHELL UOUNTY, KANSAS. 



returns. My method is to plow the ground early in August, 

 as this kills all the weeds, and is almost equal to a Summer 

 fallow. It also allows the ground to settle with the aid of 

 Summer rains, causing it to retain the moisture for the quick 

 germination of the seed when sown. I harrow the ground 

 thoroughly in September, when I put on the drill, sowing 

 about one bushel to the acre, taking care to run the drills 

 east and Avcst, thus protecting the 3'oung plants from exposure 

 by having their roots bared in dry and windy weather. The 

 prevailing winds blow from the north and south. I cut the 

 grain with a harvester, at a cost of one dollar and a quarter 

 per acre. I stack as soon as the grain is properly cured, in 

 medium-sized round stacks, as they settle more evenly, and 

 stand high winds better than ricks. After waiting five or six 

 weeks to sweat, I thresh and store, ready for market. Winter 

 wheat ranges in yield from ten to thirty-five bushels per acre, 

 but twenty bushels is a good average crop, and can be pro- 

 duced at a cost of about thirty-three cents per bushel, as shown 

 by the following estimates : 



Interest on land, at $15 per acre, - - $1.50 

 Cost of Seed, " - - 1.00 



" Plowing, " - - 1.00 



" Harrowing, " - - .45 



" Harvesting, " - - 1.25 



" Stacking, " - - .50 



« Threshing, " - - .80 



Total, $6.50 



Divided by yield per acre, 20 bushels=32|- cents. 



OATS 



are the very best grain for horse feed during the Summer, or 

 for young colts, and have alwa^'s been one of the products of 

 the farm. Forty bushels is about an average yield per acre, 

 at a cost of about fourteen or fifteen cents per bushel, but I 

 produce only in quantities to supply home needs. I have 

 been most successful with oats sown upon stalk ground, the 

 stalks and litter being first well plowed under, sowing them as 



