GETTING THE SEED BED RIGHT 29 



the succdr needed in order that germination might 

 take place. In a few days the sprouted grain made 

 its appearance above ground, and, while belated 

 and backward, overcame largely its previous mis- 

 fortune and delay. At harvest this area yielded 

 slightly more than 28 bushels an acre. 



I should state here, also, that as soon as it became 

 apparent that the soil was losing its moisture 

 through evaporation, the fine peg-tooth harrow was 

 dragged over the field in order to break the smooth, 

 even crust formed by the roller and to make a 

 mellow mulch at the top of the soil for checking 

 the water that was escaping into the atmosphere. 



This experience has always been a concrete ex- 

 ample to me, showing the necessity of a good seed 

 bed that must be made right, and made at the right 

 time. This bit of experience is not out of place, 

 for on every farm some land is being made ready 

 for some fall crop. But is the seed bed ready? 



MOISTURE AND SEED BED 



For a good stand the body of the soil must be 

 deep, compact and of otherwise right condition for 

 germination and thrifty, active growth. Take the 

 wheat field, for instance. If it be plowed reason- 

 ably early the chances are that with an occasional 

 disking or harrowing the soil will be compacted 

 and the weeds sufficiently held in check, so that at 

 seeding time enough water will be in the soil to 

 germinate the seed and to start the crop. If, how- 

 ever, plowing comes late, as it does often, a dif- 

 ferent problem is before you. You may have a 

 crop of weeds to turn under ; and these weeds may 

 not rot fast enough to allow the turned soil to be 



