TKSTING AND SOWING THK SKKD 71 



For spring wheat il is a good practice' to have la.nd fall 

 plowed, so that the disk harrow .may be run over the ground 

 in the spring as soon as the soil works well. The disk 

 harrow should be followed by the fine-tooth harrow so as 

 to fine the soil and make a mellow seed bed. 



Winter wheat usually follows a cultivated crop or an- 

 other grain crop. The ground is plowed and prepared 

 soon after the previous crop is harvested. When put on 

 mellow corn land often no plowing is necessary as disking 

 is sufficient to prepare a proper seed bed. 



Grading, Testing, and Sowing the Seed. Wheat should 

 be run through a grain grader or fanning mill so that weed 

 seeds, dirt, and broken and shriveled kernels can be sepa- 

 rated from the seed. By grading carefully the light inferior 

 kernels can be separated from the plump heavy ones, and 

 thus prevent " running out " which in time occurs where 

 the grading of the seed grain is not practiced. All seeds 

 planted on the farm should be tested for germination before 

 planting. Wheat and other small grains can be tested in 

 the same manner that alfalfa seed is tested as described 

 on page 144, under the head " Testing the Seed." 



Fig. 36. Seeding wheat with a four-horse drill. 



