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THIRD ANNUAL SESSIONS 



break up the top. If it is just a little sprinkle and does not seem to settle 

 the mulch, don't bother. If you have a long dry spell and no rain, watch 

 the solid soil right under the mulch and whenever you see that the top 

 of it begins to get a little dry, cultivate, because it is time. I have seen 

 several instances where we have cultivated the ground under those con- 

 ditions, after a long dry spell, and you could go there in the morning and 

 the ground cultivated would be perfectly moist clear to the top, while the 

 ground not gone over would still be dry. The danger is, in forming a 

 crust underneath, which prevents the circulation of the air and checks 

 all development. Now, this is vital. 



Thin Seeding. 



Keep that surface loose until seed time. If you have summer tilled 

 your ground thoroughly, do not use to exceed 20 pounds of Turked Red 

 wheat, (which I think unquestionably our best yielding winter wbeat), in 

 seeding. If you do, you will have it too thick. 



Soil Treatment. 



Now we are coming to a point where we have done considerable ex- 

 perimenting and we have come to the conclusion that it is not desirable 

 to harrow out grain in the fall, unless we have an exceptionally heavy 

 rain after the wheat has begun to stool. Somewhat earlier in tbe fall, 

 then it is advisable to harrow it, but we do' not like to harrow it in the 

 fall, because we have found that where we do harrow in the fall, in the 

 spring the ground is liable to get crusted seriously, so that it is almost 

 impossible to loosen it up. 



When spring comes, just as soon as the proper condition is reached, 

 that is, when the soil is moist, not when it is dry, go on with the bar- 

 row. Mark you, if you have followed this pilan right along you have got a 

 liberal stooling, your stools are thoroughly fixed with roots and you can 

 tip it over sidewise and pretty nearly tear it out and yet your wheat 

 plant will go on and grow. The important feature now, in the spring, is 

 to loosen up that crust, which has formed, in order to admit air. Now, 

 as to the harrowing of the grain in the spring. It may sometimes be 

 necessary to go over it twice, but don't do it unless you have to. The 

 idea is to carry teeth in under cover of the foliage just as I said with 

 reference to the conditions last year with a loose surface. If you can 

 accomplish that, then you are fixed for a crop, barring hailstorms or in- 

 sects. The circulation of air is absolutely vital. Now let me give you 

 one or two instances, showing why I am so persistent on that air 

 proposition. 



Result of Methodical Work. 



Down at the Pomeroy farm, in 1901, this excessive year which we 

 speak of, my heart and soul were in the crop of wheat, which was a .good 

 one; others failed all around us, and when it came to harvest time we 

 had continued, extreme south winds. We were on the south slope, and it 

 took us ten days to cut wheat we ought to have cut in two days under 

 ordinary conditions. 



