58 SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



sometimes grazed in winter, and later used for grain pro- 

 duction. Experiments for three years at the Oklahoma 

 Experiment Station resulted in little or no reduction in the 

 yield of grain from judicious pasturing of wheat in winter, 

 when pasturing was not continued beyond March 1. 

 (Okla. Expr. Sta., Rpt., 1906, p. 31.) 



When stock was kept on wheat as late as April 15, the 

 grain yield was notably reduced. 



In pasturing wheat in winter care should be taken to 

 exclude the stock while the ground is wet! In the case of 

 wheat that is too forward, or in danger of forming culms 

 before freezing weather is past, moderate pasturing is 

 usually advantageous, since it delays growth. Pasturing 

 early in the winter is thought to increase the number of 

 stems to the plant and thus to thicken the stand. 



Harvesting 



62. Time to harvest wheat. — The proper time for 

 harvesting wheat is indicated both by the color of the straw 

 and by the degree of hardness of the grain. Wheat should 

 be cut when the individual grains are soft enough to be 

 indented by the finger-nail, but too hard to be easily 

 crushed between the thximb and finger. At this stage of 

 maturity, the straw of most plants will have turned yellow- 

 ish. However, when rust is prevalent and increasing, 

 earlier harvesting of the grain crop is advisable. Indeed, 

 should rust become very serious before the grain reaches 

 the milk stage, it will often be advisable to mow the crop 

 promptly for hay. In the Gulf States wheat harvest occurs 

 late in May and early in June, or a little earlier than the 

 harvest of fall-sown red oats. 



