204 



THE WHEAT CULTUBIST. 



of wheat on inverted sod have ended in complete fail- 

 ures. In Monroe County, Y., one of the noted lo- 

 calities for producing fair crops of winter wheat, many 

 excellent farmers were accustomed to raise wheat on 

 sod ground, by preparing the land in the following 

 manner : 



About the first of September the sod is neatly plough- 

 ed about eight inches deep, with a lap furrow, after 

 which a roller is passed over it, when a thin coat of 

 good barn-yard compost is spread evenly over the surface, 

 and is either well harrowed in, or is turned under very 

 shallowly with the gang-plows, which usually cut from 

 three to four feet in width at one through. The 

 wheat is then put in about the fifth or tenth of Sep- 

 tember. 



It will be perceived by this system of management 

 with the soil, that the surface of the seed-bed is prepared in 

 exact accordance with the requirements of the habit of 

 the wheat plant. Read the remarks under the head of 

 the Habit of Wheat, on a preceding page. 



By passing a roller over the ploughed land, the furrow 

 slices which lay up loosely, are pressed down firmly 

 together. Then, by scarifying the sm^face with gang- 

 ploughs, or cultivators, so as to pulverize the surface to 

 the depth of about three or four inches, and fertilizing 

 the surface with a rich compost, so that most of the roots 

 will spread out horizontally, instead of striking down- 

 ward vertically, the young plants will be well prepared 

 to resist the sinister influences of the cold weather, which 

 arise from the upheaval and settling back of the sm-face 

 of the soil. 



But I would not, as a general rule, recommend the 

 practice of attempting to raise wheat on sod ground, un- 



