. Agriculture for beginners. In many respects the most important sin-gle factor in wheat production within the control of the farmeris the preparation of the seed bed. It is of great importancein any climate, but it is even more important when a wheatcrop must be grown with a limited rainfall, as is the case in anumber of our leading wheat states. Indeed, in such statessoil preparation becomes of supreme importance. As far aspossible all the moisture that falls as rain or snow should becaught, forced into the ground, and saved for the use of the WHEAT 9 wheat. This means that the soil must be
. Agriculture for beginners. In many respects the most important sin-gle factor in wheat production within the control of the farmeris the preparation of the seed bed. It is of great importancein any climate, but it is even more important when a wheatcrop must be grown with a limited rainfall, as is the case in anumber of our leading wheat states. Indeed, in such statessoil preparation becomes of supreme importance. As far aspossible all the moisture that falls as rain or snow should becaught, forced into the ground, and saved for the use of the WHEAT 9 wheat. This means that the soil must be in such a conditionthat the rain and snow water will enter it readily, and the sur-face must be tilled frequently enough to prevent unnecessaryevaporation. The deeper the earth is plowed, the greater isits water-gathering power. The more frequently the surfaceis cultivated, the less will be the evaporation. On new soils there is danger that the soil may not packwell if plowed too frequently or too deeply, and in some places. Fig. 6. Disking hefore Plowing to save MoistureCourtesy of Kansas State Agricultural College it will blow and drift if made too fine on the surface. Theseare factors that must be taken into consideration, and thetreatment must be adapted to local conditions. An Experiment in Seed-Bed Preparation. To show howimportant it is to prepare the land properly before sowing theseed, the Kansas Agricultural College in 1911 made elevendifferent tests.^ ^ How to grow Wheat, by William H. Jardine, Bulletin No. 176, Kansas StateAgricultural College Experiment Station. lO AGRICULTURE FOR BEGINNERS It was learned from these tests that it is not only importantto prepare the land in the right way but also at the right timeof the year. It was proved — something the wisest farmersalready know — that the land must be prepared well and alsoa good while before the seed is to be sown. The poorest method, shallow plowing just before seedingtime, gave a yield of 4\ bushels an ac
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