VOL. LXV
INDIANAPOLIS, AUGUST _\0. 1910.
NO. 34
ABOL'T GROWING WHEAT.—BY AN
EXPERIENCED WHEAT
GROWER.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
To raise profitable erops or wheat,
the thing of most importance is good
wheat land. No matter how good the
soil may be, and well adapted for raising other farm crops, it may not be
good for wheat. In the valley of the
Susquehanna good crops of wheat are
produced, but on high hills back from
the river, excellent crops of oats, grass
and potatoes are raised, but wheat seldom does well. Wheat, like the other
cereals, loves a mellow seed bed,
though some writers assert that the
mellow soil shoulil afterwards be compacted by the roller except an inch or
two on the surface. We never needed
to compact the soil on our farm.
Next in importance is good seed. No
matter how good the soil, nor how
well prepared, and fertilized, if poor
seed is sown, poor grain will be raised.
It is not only desirable to sow clean
seed, but wheat that has been improved by the selection, that is sowing the
best kernels from the longest, most
prolific heads, and continuing this work
for a number of years. It will not do
to depend on the improvements that
have already been made in the varieties
for the tendency is towards degeneration, or "pruning out. "The same means
used to improve them at first, must be
continued, and the best selected for
seed.
The experiment stations have proved
that several more bushels per acre can
be raised by sowing only the largest,
and plumpest kernels. No matter how
clean my wheat may be I run the seed
through a fanning mill which is turned
so fast that the small kernels are all
blown out.    They are ground for bread.
Amount of Seed Per Acre.
Farmers are not agreed upon the
amount of seed to be sown per acre to
obtain the greatest yield. For some
reason thicker seeding is practiced in
England than in America. When the
seeding is done by the flrst of October,
(which is considered early) two bushels of wheat are sown per acre, and
the amount is increased at the rate of
half a peck per acre per week for later
sowing, until three bushels is reached.
On excellent wheat land, well prepared, less seed is required than on poor
soil, for the reason that the better sol!
supplies the conditions for faster
growth, and causes the plants to fill out
farther, and cover the ground before
v.inter sets in. For the same reason
the better soil may be sown later to escape the Hessian fly, and obtain the
necessary growth before cold weather
comes. The writer has tried sowing
from the flrst of September, to the
first of October, and has generally ha J
the best success in sowing at the latter
date, or a few days sooner. He has
tried the experiment of sowing one
bushel per acre, and two bushels per
acre. The thinner seeding produced as
many bushels as the thicker and the
kernels were larger. One bushel and
a half per acre, he has found to be
about the right quantity.
Losses by Smutty Wheat.
The farmers of the United States
bave lost milions of dollars on account
of smut in wheat. As a preventive,
tbe Department of Agriculture recom
mends soaking the seed in a solution
of one pound of formaldehyde mixed
with 50 gallons of water. The writer,
fortunately has not been troubled much
crumbled to pieces with one brush of
the harrow, whereas if left a few days
they will become so dry and hard that
neither   harrow,   nor   roller   can   ever
AN OLD TIME   POSTER.
This is a reduced copy of a lithographed pc
the  Shelby  County Fair  in   1860.
as used to advertise
with smut, but has suffered considerably from rust which seems to depend
on the weather at a certain period of
the stalks' growth. ,
We usually sow wheat after oats, and
plow the ground as soon as possible after the oats is removed from the fleld,
and sometimes before. In a wet season, when the oats cannot be quickly
dried and taken to the barn, the shocks
are placed in straight rows widely
apart, and the ground plowed between
them. The harrow is taken to the field
at the same time as the plow, and the
plowed ground is harrowed before
leaving the fleld at night. The lumps
of freshly plowed    ground    arc easily
make them fine and mellow.
Every farmer knows the value of
summer following, for raising wheat.
Exactly what it does for the soil except making the ground mellow as
ashes, and killing all the weed seed as
soon as sprouted, nobody knows, but it
does something more that is valuable.
By plowing just as soon as the oat crop
is off, we get much of the value of the
summer fallow without losing the use
of the land for the whole summer. Of
course the ground should be harrowed
often enough to prevent the formation
of a crust, and kill the volunteer oats
and  weeds  that spring up.
Pennsylvania. J.  W.   Ingham.
VACATION FOR THE FARM FOLKS.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
The city man may hie from the noisy
city to the open country for a change
but the farmer does not need to seek
the crowded city for a change that will
brace him up again. Relaxation and
quiet are the two things of which he
most stands in need, and the open
country invites him to a place where
these are readily and bountifully secured.
Of all the forms of vacation for the
farmer, we would recommend a short
trip   by  covered   wagon. We   have
taken just such trips, and they are so
different from the quick trip 'by railroad, which is all hustle and hurry,
that the real object of the vacation is
accomplished right from the start.
Then, one need not tog up in his best
clothes to take a  cross-country outing.
Choose some point of destination
where one has friend or relatives living
—say, a three-days' drive away and
pay thorn a short visit. That would
give a several days' outing and a renewal  of old acquaintances.
The beauty of this form of vacation,
is the whole family can join in sueh an
outing. Turn the farm over to the
hired man or a neighbor for a few days
and forget that you are a farmer.
Put a cover on the wagon to shield
the occupants from the sun, and to
guard against getting wet by rain. Take
along a few cooking utensils and lay
in a supply of common groceries, such
as flour, sugar, salt, rice, etc. While
the cooking of meals may be done over
a fire built on the ground, it is preferable to include an oil stove in the
outfit. Where there are only three or
four in the party, they will sleep very
comfortably in the wagon; if more than
that number, some sort of a tent will be
necessary to sleep in.
Have a gun or two and some fishing
tackle along for the men and boys.
These will not only furnish sport and
amusement for them at times, but will
often supply the larder with tempting
dishes of fish and wild game meats.
Don't fail to provide plenty of books,
papers and magazines to read in camp.
A hammock will also come in nice.
Music of some sort will prove highly
entertaining, especially in the evening,
around the camp-fire. If none of the
company have musical accomplishments, secure a phonograph to supply
the deficiency.
Do most of the traveling in early
morning and late evening, spending
a goodly part of the hottest portion of
the day in camp. This will not only be
more pleasant and agreeable to you,
but the horses will receive more benefit from the vacation. Remember, this
should also be a period of relaxation
for the team. They have just passed
through a strenuous season, the same
as you have. Take along a sack 01*
two of good grain; provide some clean
boxes or buckets for them to eat from;
and remove the harness every time you
stop for as much as an hour, for it adds
to their comfort.
Clean up any odd jobs that may need
attention, and make preparations to
thoroughly enjoy yourselves for a
week or two. Forget all of your farm
cares and troubles; live the happy,
care-free life of a gypsy; and when
your vacation is ended and you again
take up your duties around the farm,
you will possess new energy and a
clearer mind. _i, q.