124 WHEAT CULTURE 



disking up well, and where corn land is plowed but often not thor- 

 oughly pulverized and packed, the same farmers practise much more 

 thorough preparation of wheat land. 



Soil Types Compared. A loam soil or clay soil, not too com- 

 pact, is usually said to be best for wheat, because it can most easily 

 be brought into good tilth. However, good tilth can be secured on 

 any productive soil, from a sandy loam to a heavy clay, by proper 

 management, and good wheat is grown on all soil types. 



In general, the heavier the soil the more thoroughly it must be 

 plowed and pulverized; while in the sandier soil increasing atten- 

 tion must be given to a proper supply of organic matter. 



Early Plowing for Winter Wheat. Winter wheat is usually 

 sown six to eight weeks before the ground freezes, which means sow- 

 ing about the first half of September in the northern States and 

 later as we go southward. 



Experiments have been made at the Kansas, Michigan, Wisconsin, 

 and North Dakota Experiment Stations, with early and late fall plow- 

 ing. In every case where the plowing could be done from one to two 

 months before seeding, the yield was considerably increased when 

 compared with plowing and fitting the ground just before seeding. 



The Compact Seed-bed. One important reason for the im- 

 proved yield from early plowing is that the seed-bed will be not only 

 fine but firm. (1) A loose seed-bed will not allow proper root de- 

 velopment, due to air-spaces, and (2) also it is apt to be dry. (3) 

 The coarse, undecayed stubble and weeds turned down prevent gooc 

 contact with the subsoil, so moisture does not readily pass upward. 

 (4) Long experience has also shown that plants do not winterkill to 

 so great an extent on a firm seed-bed, probably due to better root de- 

 velopment. 



Deep or Shallow Plowing. In the western States there was a 

 tradition more or less common for many years that plowing should 

 not be deeper than the planting, so that the seed could be placed on 

 the firm, undisturbed subsoil. There was good reason for this when- 

 ever the plowing was done just before planting, allowing no oppor- 

 tunity for re-compacting the soil. Experience has generally shown, 

 where the plowing was done in sufficient time to allow for repacking 

 (three or more weeks), that deep plowing (6 inches) was better than 

 shallow (3 inches). 



