CHAPTER III 



Getting the Seed Bed Right 



When weather conditions are favorable for some 

 time preceding and following wheat, grass and other 

 fall seedlings, the seed bed loses some of its im- 

 portance. But my experience is against chancing 

 the condition at this stage of the crop. Once in four 

 or five years, on the average, you can neglect the 

 seed bed with impunity. But in the other years, if 

 the soil at seeding time is improperly prepared, toll 

 will be demanded at harvest. Especially is this true 

 if the rainfall is slight ; for, in this case, the soil is 

 indifferently compacted and the seed lies unsprouted 

 for days or even weeks. 



To give a concrete illustration, let me use a small 

 part of a field that was plowed and seeded a few 

 years ago for experimental purposes. The season 

 was dry and had been so for several weeks. But 

 the soil responded to the plow with good satisfac- 

 tion, however. Some clods were evident, but none 

 was of large size; nor did they resist the harrow 

 and drag to any considerable extent. Had a rain 

 come, the seed bed would have served its purpose 

 and started the crop. But no rain came and seed 

 time did come. 



After waiting as long as custom would permit, 

 the field was seeded. Then days and even weeks 

 passed, and still no rain, and no wheat either for 

 that matter ; for there was not enough water in the 

 seed bed area to germinate the seed. The loose, 

 opened, plowed surface had acted, not as a pump 



27 



