62 



SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



for the preparation of the seed-bed, the firming of the soil and the conserv- 

 ing of moisture. 



If plowing is done late in the season, each day's work should be 

 harrowed as soon as finished. Plowed ground that is allowed to remain 

 a few days before working is likely to become very dry and cloddy. A 

 well prepared seed-bed insures quick germination, a good root system 

 and results in less pulling and winter killing. 



The following table taken from Bulletin No. 185 of the Kansas 

 Experiment Station, shows that yield of wheat is greatly influenced by 

 both the time and method of preparing the seed-bed: 



Methods of Preparing Land for Wheat. Cropped to Wheat Continuously. 



Method of Preparation. 



Disked, not plowed 



Plowed Sept. 15, 3 inches deep 



Plowed Sept. 15, 7 inches deep 



Plowed Aug. 15, 7 inches deep 



Plowed Aug. 15, 7 inches deep. Not worked 



until Sept. 15 



Plowed July 15, 3 inches deep 



Plowed July 15, 7 inches deep 



Double disked July 15. Plowed Sept. 15 



Double disked July 15. Plowed Aug. 15, 7 inches 



deep 



Listed July 15, 5 inches deep. Ridges split Aug. 



15 



Listed July 15, 5 inches deep. Worked down — 



Average 3 Years, 1911-1913. 



Yield per 



Acre, 

 bushels. 



6.63 

 13.24 

 14.15 

 22.19 



20.48 

 20.77 

 27.11 

 19.71 



23.40 



22.90 



22.77 



Cost per 



Acre for 



Preparation. 



$2.07 

 2.83 

 3.33 

 4.00 



3.33 



85 

 35 

 93 



4.93 



92 

 05 



Value of Crop, 

 Less Cost of 

 Preparation. 



$3.64 

 8.35 

 8.60 



16.34 



13.65 

 12.25 

 16.87 

 12.37 



14.30 



14.73 

 14.53 



Early preparation of the seed-bed gave a profitable increase in yields. 

 Early disking of the stubble, and plowing later, also gave very good 

 returns. The possible objection to early plowing (July 15th to August 

 15th) is the lack of labor and teams at this time. In this case the stubble 

 may be disked early and plowed later when work is less pressing. Disking 

 a stubble before plowing tends: (1) to conserve moisture, (2) to kill weeds, 

 (3) to lessen the draft and cost of plowing the land, (4) to pulverize that 

 portion of the seed-bed that eventually will be turned under, and (5) 

 to aid in destroying the Hessian fly. 



In the semi-arid districts of the United States the lister is often used 

 in preparing the seed-bed for wheat. The lister leaves the bottom of the 

 furrow in ridges, however, and should not be used year after year in the 

 preparation of the soil. 



Fertilizers for Wheat. — A detailed discussion of fertilizers has been 

 given in a previous chapter. Two methods of supplying plant food to 



