.48 Bulletin N0. 155 -
accomplish more than twice as much work as two horses. ‘
When the seed bed is once gotten in good condition, it
should be harrowed frequently until seeding time. Especially
should this be done as soon after rains as possible, in order
to break the crust and conserve the moisture. These frequent
harrowings will also kill out weeds and help to develop
available plant food. -
If the land has to be turned for wheat, this should also
be done early, say in July or early August, in order that it
may settle sufficiently for a good seed bed. Before turning,
it should be thoroughly disked until the surface is in a finely
divided condition. This will prevent loss of moisture until
the ground can be gone over with the turning plow, and the
finely divided soil will make a good contact with the subsoil, .
thus allowing the rise of moisture. Each day’s plowing
should be harrowed at the close of the day to prevent the
formation of hard clods by drying.· It would be better if the
harrowing were done both noon and night. After the ground
has been plowed in this way, it should be given the treat-
ment until seeding time indicated for the disked ground.
Ground thus prepared will give an increased yield that will
justify the cost, and will soon get in such condition that it
will be easy to prepare. The practice indicated will hold in
the preparation of any seed bed, except of course that fall
and winter plowed land for spring planting should not be
harrowed but left rough to prevent washing and to facilitate
_ the absorption of water. `
Immediately before sowing wheat the ground should be
harrowed and rolled with aiheavy roller. This will firm the
seed bed and make moisture conditions better around the
seed. `
A drill should be used which will deposit the seed on the
bottom of the furrows opened by the drill. It is very unde-
sirable that the seed be caught by the closing furrow before
it has reached the bottom. The advantage of having the
seed rest on the bottom of the furrow is that it rests on a
firm bed and therefore gets more moisture and a better
medium in which to develop its roots.