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Show RAISING CROPS ON SOD LAND In Normal Seasons, Flax is One of Best First Crops Corn Will Make Fair Yields Ordinarily. (By ALVI.M KEVSER, Colorado Agricultural Agricul-tural College.) Not all crops do well upon such a seed bed as sod land. Corn if a variety va-riety adapted to the locality, will make fair yields in ordinary seasons. The disk planter is better than the shoo planter, as it easily penetrates th soil. Thus it plants the seed in moist soil at a uniform depth. The corn is best planted In drills 18 to 22 inches apart In the row and three and one-half one-half feet between the rows. Sod corn needs little further cultivation. It may be harrowed at first. In normal seasons, flax Is one of the best first crops for the sod land. The sod is prepared the same as for corn. The flax may then be drilled In with a press, single disk drill using from 25 to 35 pounds of seed according to quality. Usually flax should be planted plant-ed about the middle of May. MIlo is a good feed crop for sod land at altitudes below 5,600 feet. It is planted in drills six to eight Inches apart in the row. If the corn planter Is not provided with proper plates, blank plates furnished with the planter may be used by drilling boles properly sized and spaced. ' For fodder, cane and KaSlr do well. They are planted with the grain drill. The holes not wanted must be covered or stopped. Stock melons and other melons grow well as sod crops. When properly pro-perly handled, potatoes will do something. some-thing. Where milo does wall broom corn will grow and Is a good crop foi those understanding its management and culture. If the sod has been prepared as for corn and properly handled later by giving a light disking and harrowing, winter wheat may be seeded with fair prospects for fair returns. After the sod crop the sod Is backset. back-set. On the "hard" land3 this should be done deeply, 8 to 10 inches or more for best results. The plow is then followed the same half day with the disk and harrow. Tbe disk should be used vigorously enough to compact the soil, destroy all large open spaces and reduce any lumps or sod chunks. The harrow will pulverize the surface. After this treatment the soil is ready (if sufficiently moist) for adapted crops. Oue of the largest items ot success lies in keeping the soil moist. |