104 WALL'S MANUAL 



WHEAT. 



Manuring the Crop* Some farmers put off the 

 application of their stable and yard manures to 

 wheat, until winter or spring. When this is done, 

 they are very poorly compensated for their labor. 

 Winter wheat has two periods of growth; the first 

 in iiutum, and the second, during the following spring 

 and summer. The vigor of the crop, in its second 

 period of growth, depends very much upon the health- 

 ful development, the roots, in the first period of 

 growth. If, then, manure is incorporated with the 

 soil at the time of seeding, the impulse given to the 

 wheat plants in autum, is almost certain to continue 

 until the crop is matured. 



This always holds true, unless some physical cause 

 comes in to prevent it, such as severe drought, or the 

 depredation of insects. But when manure is spread 

 upon feeble w T heat in winter or spring, it comes too 

 late. The basis of a good crop is not there. As well 

 might you expect to make a great ox from a stinted 

 calf, as to make a good crop under such circumstances. 



Modes of Sowing Wheat. There are two plans pur- 

 sued very largely in sowing wheat. First, the old 

 method of sowing wheat broadcast, by hand, is still 

 kept up on nearly all the small farms, as well as many 

 of the larger ones, and especially at the South. The 

 slovenly method of sowing the grain among the 

 standing corn crop, and covering with shovel plows 

 or cultivators, is fast losing favor. 



The custom of breaking up the ground with a large 

 plow, closely, then sowing and covering with the har- 



*For anatysis of grain and straw of wheat, see page 41, in table. 



