46 OUR FARM CROPS. 



sowing lias followed the introduction of turnips, into dis- 

 tricts where formerly it was never thought of. In in- 

 stances where wheat follows turnips fed off on the land, 

 a plentiful supply of available food is prepared for the 

 wheat by the preceding crop, while the extra tillage of 

 the turnip crop acts as a good preparation for the wheat. 

 During the period of growth the wheat requires but 

 little attention. Early in the spring some mechanical 

 assistance should be given to the soil, in the shape of 

 rolling or harrowing, in order to compensate for the 

 effects of winter, and restore the surface to its proper con- 

 dition. On certain soils those containing much clay or 

 lime, for instance the alternate frosts and thaws of winter 

 frequently leave the surface in a very loose and open con- 

 dition, in many cases, indeed, exposing the roots prejudici- 

 ally, and in some, lifting the plants completely from their 

 bed. Here the roller does good service to the land in con- 

 solidating the surface soil, which it leaves at the same 

 time in a finely divided condition. On soils of a loamy 

 character the heavy rains of winter frequently, if suc- 

 ceeded by drying winds, leave the surface battered down 

 and coated with hard dry crust impervious to the atmo- 

 sphere, and obstructive to the increasing vitality of the 

 plant at that period of the year. This may be readily 

 broken up, and a healthy surface restored, by a double turn 

 with the light seed- harrows. 1 Later in the spring the 

 operation of hoeing should not be neglected, as even on 

 the cleanest farms a certain number of weeds will always 

 be found, and they must abstract from the soil matters 

 which would otherwise be available as food for the grow- 

 ing crop. The introduction of the expanding horse-hoe 

 has been a great benefit to the farmer, as it enables 

 him to hoe his wheat land more efficiently, more quickly, 



1 In all cases iron harrows work more regularly on the surface than those 

 with wooden frames, which are apt to jerk on meeting with small obstacles. 



