448 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



grain as well as yield of straw. In most cases where heavy seed has 

 been compared wth small or light seed, the results have been in 

 favor of the heavy seed. Owing to an insufficient food supply or an 

 imperfectly developed germ, plants from injured and immature seed 

 often have not the power to live although the seed sprouts quite 

 successfully. If wheat has become heated or moldy in storage it 

 may not grow at all or else have only a low percentage of germina- 

 tion. It is advisable, therefore, to make a germination test to deter- 

 mine the vitality and the viability of the seed. This may be done 

 by placing the kernels between folds of cloth or blotting paper, one 

 end of which is placed in water so that the moisture is supplied 

 through capillarity, and by keeping this improvised germinator at 

 the ordinary room temperature, never allowing it to fall below 

 50 F. 



The time of sowing is influenced by the season, the variety, 

 the nature, fertility, and altitude of the soil, the latitude of the 

 locality, and sometimes by the prevalence of insect enemies and 

 existing weather conditions. In the northern sections winter wheat 

 is sown earlier and spring wheat later. In the southern winter 

 wheat regions the seed is preferably sown late in September and 

 early in October; in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska 

 from September 10 to 20; and in some of the extreme northern 

 winter wheat regions as early as the last week in August and the 

 first week in September. Spring wheat is generally sown as soon 

 in the spring as the seed bed can be properly prepared. 



The germination, stooling process, and underground growth 

 of winter wheat take place when the temperature is from 42 to 

 60 F. When these soil temperatures prevail during winter for 

 a sufficient length of time, winter wheat stools and produces under- 

 ground growth, and when the continued warmer weather of spring 

 arrives the different stems shoot upward and develop their leaves 

 and lengthen their internode rapidly. 



The depth of sowing depends mainly upon the kind of soil 

 and its physical condition. The object should always be the pro- 

 vision of the best moisture conditions for the seed. In moist soils 

 or soils of a hard texture shallow seeding is practiced, while in loose 

 or dry soils deeper seeding is necessary. The usual depth of sowing 

 wheat is from 1 to 2 inches. When the seed kernel lies deep the 

 portion of the young stem connecting it with the crown is necessarily 

 longer than when it lies nearer the surface of the ground, as in the 

 case of shallow seeding. If at any time through the action of frost, 

 or otherwise, heaving of the surface soil occurs, the young stem 

 may be broken so that the crown and other parts of the plant are 

 separated from the primary root system. This condition is detri- 

 mental to the plant^if it occurs before the permanent roots are 

 large enough to furnish food and moisture as the maintenance and 

 the growth of the plant require it. 



The quantity of seed used per acre depends upon the kind of 

 soil and its physical condition, the climate and the season, the time 

 and method of sowing, and the size, quality, and variety of the seed. 



