RECAPITULATION OF OPERATIONS. 53 



CHAPTER X. 

 RECAPITULATION OF OPERATIONS. 



We will here sum up, in brief, the process or requisites 

 essential to produce increased yield of wheat and contin- 

 ued good crops, as follows : 



FIRST PERFECT DRAINAGE, by both under-drains 

 and surface ditches, as shall be found necessary to pre- 

 yent stagnant water in the sub-soil or any standing water 

 on the surface, for any length of time after the thawing 

 of ice and snow, or after heavy showers. 



SECOND DEEP CULTIVATION, by sub-soil plowing or 

 trenching, at least twelve to fifteen inches deep, in order 

 that plant roots may run deeply for sustenance, and also 

 that moisture may rise from below to the surface in sea- 

 sons of drouth. 



THIRD ALKALINE MATTER. The soil needs a lib- 

 eral supply of ashes, lime, or other substances of alkaline 

 properties, and also salt. A two-fold benefit is caused 

 by these ingredients in the soil, namely they aid largely 

 in dissolving the silicia (or flint) and they are, to a con- 

 siderable extent, preventives to ravages of insects and of 

 diseases; especially the salt, which is effective, very 

 often, in preventing injury by rust. Any or all of these 

 things are beneficial to the wheat crop, particularly 

 where there is prevailing liability to rust and crinkling 

 straw. 



FOURTH CLOVER AND PLASTER ROTATION, the fre- 

 quent use of, and plowing-under of various green crops 

 as manures ; the plaster to be applied to the clover, or 

 other crop to be plowed-under, to induce ranker growth, 

 together with the liberal application of lime to the land 

 by being harrowed into the surface before seeding. 



