Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1916 — NEEDS OF INDIANA WHEAT CROP VITAL [ARTICLE]

NEEDS OF INDIANA WHEAT CROP VITAL

Leaving Undone Any One of Four Necessary Steps ’Means Partial Failure. If there are four essential and necessary steps in growing a crop, and we follow three and neglect one, often . we might just as well have omitted the three since a poor crop is certain to* follow. Whoever uses good seed, prepares a fine firm seed bed, uses lime, but neglects to supply wheat with available plant food in sufficient Quantities will not harvest the largest number of bushels of best quality wheat. Helping Baby Plants. You cannot grow Btrong, sturdy wheat plants from a sluggish start. The tiny plants need assistance from germination to maturity. The roots ( take up in solution ammonia, phos- j phoric acid and potash. These plant- ■ food elements are found in the soil, ‘ being gradually available to the crop; i the deficiency of plant food is sup- ■ plied through fertilizers. They are ' carried to the growing leaves, and under the action of sunlight, are manu- j factured into plant cell material that makes plant growth. Ammonia is the food that helps baby plants by giving them a dark green color and producing stalk growth. Plenty of available ammonia in the fertilizer gives the young plants a running start. Harris in Cornell University Bulle- i tin 352 states; “The number of kernels of wheat per pot increased with the fertilizer.” j Filling the' Kernels. Wheat is grown primarily for the grain. Phosphoric acid is the plant ■ food that is most intimately con- [ cerned with forming and filling the | kernels. Late in June or early in j July, the tiny wheat flowers open and i become fertile and the new wheat ber- ; ries begin to develop. The time be- i tween the flowers becoming fertile j and the complete filling of the kernels ! is very short —not over ten days or j two weeks in most cases. As the j kernel contains 75 per cent of the phosphoric acid of the plant, this plant food ingredient plays a very important part in filling the kernel and making the crop. Thatcher holds that the relative , protein content of grain is determined chiefly, if not wholly, by the rapidity , of ripening of the kernel. Thus it is easily seen that the, amount of phosphoric acid available for plant food at this time may determine the quality and yield of the crop. The ground may have been in good physical condition, the seed of excellent quality, the season favorable, but if there is a scarcity of available phosphoric acid when filling and ripening, the wheat is not only poorly filled, but its quality is inferior, for phosphoric acid makes quality wheat that grades high on the market. Ftrengthering Straw. The third essential plant food, potash, gives strength to the straw, assists in the transportation and laying down of the starch in the kernel and along with phosphoric acid plumps the grain. If the kernels are shriveled or small, the straw weak and inclined to lodge, more potash should be applied in the fertilizer. Available ammonia, phosphoric acid and potash are the three plant foods applied in fertilizers, They cause plant or stalk growth, form heavy, plump kernels, hasten maturity and make strong straw, insure good clover catches and quality wheat. Fertilizers should be selected of such an analysis as will make up for the deficiencies of the available plant food in the soil and supply the special needs of the wheat under various farm conditions. Best results will be secured by using 200 to 400 pounds of fertilizer on loam or clay soils analyzing 2 to 4 per cent ammonia, 8 to 12 per cent phosphoric acid and 2 to 4 per cent potash. On sandy or poor soils more ammonia should be used. Owing to the war conditions making potash scarce and high priced, a much smaller percentage o' potash is advisable until these abnormal conditions adjust themselves. Fertilizers give crops a quick start, strengthen straw, hasten' maturity, better thp quality and Increase yields and profits.