CONSERVATION OF ORGANIC MATTER. 



59 



after the corn crop and before the succeeding crop is sown. If a crop 

 of winter wheat is to be raised, the wheat should either be drilled in 

 between the rows of standing corn, as is found desirable in the 

 northern part of the area, or the corn should be cut and either shocked 

 or removed from the field and the grain sown on disked corn stubble. 



Wheat. — If spring wheat is to be raised after the crop of corn, it will 

 often be found advantageous to disk or harrow the corn stubble in the 

 fall, after the corn is removed, in order to break up the crust and con- 

 serve the moisture resulting from the fall rains when they occur. 

 In the spring the grain can be drilled in upon the corn stubble with 

 either a disk or a shoe drill. If the cornstalks were not removed 

 the previous fall, but were left standing, it will be necessary to 

 break them down with some kind of a stalk cutter, such as is in com- 

 mon use wherever corn is extensively raised. In some instances it 

 may be found necessary to disk the land before drilling in the wheat, 

 but the soil is of such a nature over very considerable areas as to 

 make this unnecessary and in some instances actually undesirable. 

 A light harrowing after seeding is almost unfailingly beneficial, as it 

 helps to cover the seed that may not have been completely covered 

 by the drill, and also levels the surface. Light harrowing after the 

 grain has come up and until it has reached a height where the har- 

 rowing will seriously harm the plants is usually desirable. On some 

 soils this work can be better done with some one of the various types 

 of weeders that are on the market. This harrowing of the grain after 

 it is up should be done as soon after rains as the soil is dry enough, 

 so as not to clog the harrow or weeder. 



If brome-grass is to be sown with the wheat, the seeding of wheat 

 should be as light as is consistent with a fair yield of grain. It 

 would be impossible to lay down any rule as to the quantity per 

 acre, but we have found 3 pecks per acre satisfactory. The brome- 

 grass seed should be sown at the rate of about 20 pounds of good 

 clean seed per acre. The seed may be sown either with the grass- 

 seed attachment to the drill or broadcast by hand, and should be 

 covered by a light harrowing. Where a man can be found who is 

 accustomed to sowing seed by hand we have found the hand seeding 

 the most satisfactory, as there is great danger of the brome-grass 

 seed becoming clogged in the seeder on account of its light and 

 chaffy nature. 



Where winter wheat is raised, the brome-grass may usually be 

 sown in the fall at the time of the seeding of wheat. If a good catch 

 of brome-grass is not obtained from this fall seeding, it is possible to 

 reseed the thin patches in the spring, covering the ground with a 

 light harrow or weeder. 



187 



