28 FARM CROPS 



to bring the moisture up to the seed place, but as a 

 blanket to keep it down. 



WELL-MADE SEED BEDS NOT DISAP- 

 POINTING 



Adjoining and nearby areas that had been well 

 worked and well compacted acted in a different 

 manner. Although of the same soil type, and sub- 

 jected to the same treatment, but worked so thor- 

 oughly that the soil was made firm, compact and 

 fine, they acted differently. The seed on these 

 areas quickly sprouted, the young wheat plants 

 showed the usual vitality and thrift, and at harvest 

 time yielded 30 to 44 bushels an acre. 



The field under discussion yielded but nine 

 bushels to the acre. A part of it, however, when 

 it was noted that the germination was so faulty 

 and impossible, was given some additional culture 

 through the use of a heavy roller, to serve for the 

 purpose of packing. The roller, weighed down as 

 much as possible, and requiring four horses to 

 draw it, put the surface soil in a reasonably good 

 condition; at least, enough to start the water in 

 the subsoil reservoir upward, connecting it with 

 the surface body in which rested the seed. Evi- 

 dence of this was seen within a day or two at the 

 top of the smooth surface, especially in the morn- 

 ings, which showed the crust moist and damp. 



PACKING THE SOIL STARTS WATER 

 UPWARD 



Here the proof was seen. The water was mov- 

 ing upward. It was passing straight up through 

 the layer of soil in which the seed rested, and was 



