WHEAT CULTURE. 271 



Sheep should never be turned on to the brop when it is too wet, or when 

 the land is in a boggy state, otherwise the soil will be trodden righl out of 

 condition. Similarly, it' rain falls while 1 1 1 « - sheep arc on the crop, they 

 should be removed as soon as possible. 



When to Remove the Sheep. 

 Considerable differences of opinion exisl amongsl practical men as to the 

 latest date at which wheat should be fed-oflf, some holding that the operation 

 should he limited to the early part of the winter, and others contending that 

 it may safely he extended into early spring. The controlling factor is the 

 weather. In a favourable spring, a crop will ret-over and yield well notwith- 

 standing that feeding-off has heen prolonged, but on the other hand it i- 

 obvious that if a dry spell ensues upon feeding-down close in July or early 

 August there is practically no hope of a recovery The question is therefore, 

 what is likely to he the nature of the spring, wet or dry? Were it possible 

 to forecast thr weather with any degree of certainty, this and many other 

 problems would he solved. Even the average incidence of the rainfall for 

 particular districts is of little value, but this can be said — in New South 

 Wales dry springs are certainly more common than wet ones, and the farmer 

 -who would err on the side of safety will limit feeding-off' to early and 

 midwinter, and will make an absolute end of it by the 30th June. The only 

 extensive exception to this rule is the north-west, where the time may with 

 safety be extended to the middle of July. Speaking generally, the earlier 

 the sheep are off the better for the crop. 



Effect of Feeding-off. 

 Does feeding-off affect the yield, and to what extent? There are farmers 

 who turn sheep into their wheat simply because they believe they will get an 

 increased yield, but there is ample evidence of the most reliable kind that a 

 -distinct decline in yield is caused, particularly in the case of hay crops. The 

 idea that feeding-off" promotes stooling, and thereby a strong rooting habit, is 

 probably well grounded, but that the crop suffers in bulk in the great 

 majority of cases is practically certain. Admittedly "there are occasions when 

 wheat crops must be fed-oft". It is quite possible for a crop to become so 

 forward that, if the growth is not checked, it will come into ear at a 

 time when weather conditions will be unfavourable for hay-making, and 

 when it will probably be badly frosted if left for grain. Very often this 

 untimely " heading out " of a crop is the result of ignorance of the true. 

 nature of the variety, an early or quick-maturing kind uf wheat having been 

 sown early in the season instead of late. Such rapid development of a field 

 of wheat under normal conditions is rare, however, and given right varieties, 

 feeding-off under the impression that it will oreatlv increase the yield cannot 

 be advocated. 



Harrowing. 



After feeding-off it is advisable to put a heavy set of harrows over the 

 field to loosen the surface. Some farmers think that heavy harrows pull 

 too many wheat plants out of the ground,. and while it must be admitted 

 that a few will suffer in this way, no wheat farmer should he concerned 

 about that, for the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. "The man 

 that harrows should never look behind " runs an old adage, and there is truth 

 in it. The harrows should always be run across the direction in which the 

 seed has been drilled. 



