Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1912 — WEAK WHEAT—HELP FOR IT. [ARTICLE]

WEAK WHEAT—HELP FOR IT.

By Henry G. Bell, Agronomist Middle West Soil Improvement Committee. “Winter Wheat in bad condition" is the general report of the condition of this important cereal throughout the Middle West States. A large percentage of the millions of acres devoted to This crop is re|>orled to be weak and to have been severely injured by adverse wintering conditions. In rnany places the ground is baking, and still further injury is threatened. Such serious conditions call for immediate action.

The farmer knows that the wheat plant requires heat, air, moisture and available plant food in order to live and make satisfactory growth. The lack of any one of these essentials means death to the crop. As the warm sun of spring beats upon the hardened wheat fields it causes the evaporation of hundreds of barrels of water per day from a 50 acre field, because she water connection between the surface soil and the water supply below is complete. Now, to stop this great evaporation; and to allow air to enter into the soil spaces, ,the farmer must act quickly if he is to save his crop. . He should roll his wheat field as soon as it will bear a team upon it, and follow this rolling immediately with a light harrowing. If he has a “weeder " he <*an accomplish a great deal of good by going over the wheat field with this tool. If ,he has harrows with adjustable teeth, he should throw these teeth back at an angle of 45 degrees and harrow the field, going back And forward over the field parallel with the wheat rows. This harrowing will roc *Kir the surface deep enough to injure the wheat roqts, but will help the soil conditions greatly by preparing a surface mulch. This surface mulch will break up the water connection in the soil and effectively prevent an injurious amount of evaporation. Always foUowr rolling with a light harrowing. If, however, the farmer does not lave a roller, or if he does not] think it wise to roll the wheat, he can help the weak wheat crop a great deal by a careful harrowing. The tiny' weak plant needs special nourishment It should have an abundance of readily available plant food of the right kind to give •it a vigorous start and maintain Jit in vigorous growth. Such help

can be supplied by broadcasting lot) to 300 lbs. per acre of a fertilizer analyzing about 3 per cent to 5 per cent Ammonia; 6 to 8 per cent Phosphoric Acid, and 5 to 7 per cent Potaehl This should be broadcasted or distributed on the wheat through the fertilizer attachment of the wheat drill. If the wheat drill is Used, of course the disks will be left suspended 90 that they will not cut the young wheat plant. This fertilizer should be put on The wheat just before it is rolled. The harrowing will work it into the soil. The above operations can be carried on even until the wheat is up 4 inches, without injury to the crop. This practice is common among Euro|>ean wheat growers. If grass and clover seed is sown upon the wheat field in early spring, practice of this early cultivation will bury the seed sufficiently deep to insure good germination. The addition of available plant food in the forms mentioned, will greatly increase the chances of a successful “catch of grass.” < By such treatment, weak wheat will be greatly benefitted and materially assisted towards a profitable yield of superior quality of grain.