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Show CULTIVATION OF DRY CROPS MaJn Thing le to See That Plant Have Good Roots No Tearing Out If Done Properly. Professor Iilount was recently quoted aa advocating the advantage of cultivating grain crops in the arid regions and belng laughed at by some who could not understand the philosophy philoso-phy of such a proposition. Professor !.ilount Is absolutely right as I have proved by experience, last season at Cheyenne was one of the driest on record and all crops grown on the state dry farm under uiy supervision were cultivated several times after they were up and had good roots-some roots-some when knee hlgb to the team, writes Dr. V. T. Cooke In the Denver Meld and Farm. The object of cultivating culti-vating with the crop aa high aa this was more to show that such cultivation cultiva-tion although possibly not beneficial at least did no harm. The crops cultivated were winter wheat and winter rye in the spring. Then In due time we also cultivated spring wheat, oats, barley, emui or spelts, Canadian field peas, stock beets, corn, millet, sorghum and potatoes. pota-toes. A twelve-foot three row spring-tooth spring-tooth riding weeder with a lever was used. This lever enables the driver to control the depth of cultivation. A common steel drag harrow will take the place of a weeder aa a cultivator provided the teeth are sharp and set slantingly. Judgment must be used on some soils as to how early this work should be begun. One can get onto the crop too soon and thus tear out considerable of the growing grain, which Is entirely unnecessary. The main thing Is to see that the crops have good roots and If the work Is properly done, very little if any tearing out will occur, but the work will surely get rl'. of thousands of weeds, as well as stimulate the crop, besides making the soli In better condition con-dition to conserve and receive moisture. mois-ture. We know the cultivation of corn Is necessary and pays. Then why not cultivate cereals? In fact all crops grown In arid and semi arid countries should be cultivated. Due consideration considera-tion should bo given the grain crop In an abnormally wet season, for cultivation culti-vation under these conditions Is not so extremely essential. A great deal more importance should be attached to this cultivation than there Is. The weeder gives the farmer a greater margin of time to do this work because it enables blm to get onto taller grain and ha can control the depth he wishes to cultivate. culti-vate. The weeller Is of light draft and a fast team can cover a cbnslderable area In a day. The common ateel drag harrow can be used and U ery effective in heavier soils. |