64 SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



needs of the soil. This may be ascertained partly by knowing the previous 

 treatment of the soil and by studying the appearance of the crops now 

 growing upon it. More definite information may be secured by the use 

 of different fertilizing elements on small plafs conducted as a test during 

 one or more years for the purpose of ascertaining the needs of the soil. 



Phosphorus is the element most often needed on ordinary wheat 

 soils of most northern states, and is the one that usually gives the greatest 

 increase in yields. In many localities the yield may be further increased 

 by the addition of small to moderate amounts of potash. In many cases, 

 some nitrogen will produce still further increase. However, it is poor 

 policy to pay 18 cents a pound for nitrogen that can be produced more 

 cheaply on the farm by the use of various leguminous crops in the rotation. 



Time of Seeding. The time to seed wheat in a given section will be 

 determined largely by previous experience. The latitude, season, soil 

 conditions and insect enemies all help determine the proper time for 

 seeding. 



The chart on preceding page prepared by the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture gives the approximate date of seeding winter wheat, 

 where the Hessian fly must be considered as a factor. 



Spring wheat should be sown as early as the ground can be prepared 

 properly. Early seeding insures cool weather during the early growth 

 and permits the crop to ripen before the severe storms of late summer. 

 Wheat is generally seeded with a grain drill, although broadcasting is 

 still practiced is some parts of the far West. 



Rate of Seeding. The rate of seeding varies greatly in different 

 wheat districts of the United States. East of the Mississippi River two 

 bushels of well-cleaned seed will generally give the best results. Results 

 by the Ohio Experiment Station, located near the center of the humid 

 region, teach a valuable lesson on this point. 



THICK AND THIN SEEDING OF WHEAT. TEN DIFFERENT VARIETIES USED. 

 SIXTEEN- YEAR AVERAGE.* 



3 pecks per acre 20.26 bushels per acre 



4 ' . 21.64 



5 



6 



7 



8 



9 



10 



22.97 

 24.11 

 24.36 

 25.01 

 25.46 

 25.43 



In the dry farming area of the West the amount of seed required ranges 

 from two to three pecks in the driest sections to six or eight pecks in the 

 more humid sections. The rate of seeding for any section should be 

 determined by actual tests. 



Wheat should not be covered too deeply. The depth of seeding will 

 depend on the type of soil and the preparation of the seed-bed. The 



* Taken from records of the Ohio Experiment Station. 



