THE WISCONSIN FARMER.



more thorough preparation of the ground pre-
vious to seeding, being a good cultivator itself.
  As to the points to be possessed by a good
drill: It should supply the seed regularly and
equally to the separate drill tubes. The grain
as it drops into them, should be plainly in view,
that the operator may see at a glance that they
are all working properly. It should not be so
as to prevent the regular flow of the seed. It
should have an index to mark the quantity of
ground sown, and a fixture enabling the user
to regulate the rmount of seed per acre. There
should be a contrivance to raise or fall the
tubes at once, at least one foot clear of the
ground; a similar contrivance to raise each
tube separately, so that one or all the tubes
can be cleared of any sods or other obstructions
to successful covering of the seed. Each tube
should be so arranged that if it should strike
a stone or root, it will fly back without break-
ing anything more than a small wooden pin.
The drill tubes should not be too heavy, and
yet heavy enough to put the seed in sufficiently
deep. It is better to drill in fall wheat by the
first of October, as seed sown after that time
often fails. The cause of failure, I think, is
owing to drilling the seed too deep; the ground
at that season is cold, and seed placed too deep-
ly in the soil is a long time coming up, the
plants are stunted, and never after become
vigorous."

  ERADICATION OF Ox-EYE DAISIES.-Do you
or any of your subscribers know how to erad-
icate the Ox-eye Daisy? Part of my farm is
becoming infested with them, and I want to
get them out. An.. They may be kept iu check
by sheep, they eating them so close that they
will not seed. Sometimes they are kept from
spreading by mowing them off with the scythe,
while in flower, but they cannot be eradicated
except by smothering with rotten wood or
straw, or by effective cultivation. J. J. Thom-
as states in the Countiry Gentleman, that on a
farm whish he had lately visited in Pennsylva-
nia, the Ox-eye daisy has been so thoroughly
eradicated that not a plant could be seen though
it is generally abundant in the neighborhood.
The mode practiced for its extirpation is to
plant two hoed crops in succession, usually In-
dian corn, both being well manured, to be fol-
lowed by wheat and' seeded'to clover. The
few weeds which show themselves are dug up.

  PUTTING IN WHEAT, AND TUE CHINcu BEo.
-Will you give the best method of putting in
wheat to keep the chinch bug from working in
it. Some farmers say leave the ground hard
as you can get it, is the best way. Please give
your opinion in the FARMER.   C. S. E.
GAx=z VALLEr, Jkaon Co.
  [We will discuss this subject at some length
in a subsequent number.-ED.1



           Preparing Corn Ground.
  ED. FARMER:-I am a reader of the FARM-
ER, and wish to continue so to be. In answer
to your request in the Oct. No. to say either
yea or nay as to whether the FARMER shall be
sustained, I say Yea, it shall be, as far as I
can contribute to its success.
  I venture to give my experience to the farm-
ers of Wisconsin as to the results of different
modes of preparing the soil for corn; and then
they who are satisfied with their old system
can continue it, and they who would apply a
more thorough system can do so.
  I planted 3 acres and 60 rods of corn the
past season, dividing it into 3 lots and prepar-
ing the ground in three different ways. The
first lot was fall plowed: the second lot was
spring plowed, and both were planted by the
16th of MIay. The third lot was fall plowed,
and then spring plowed, after the other was
planted,, and planted on the 26th of May.
The twice plowed was planted ten days later
than the other two lots. All three lots had an
equal share of the hoe and cultivator. The
whole lot was new land. only broken up in
1860; no difference in quality. But in husk-
ing and gathering in the crops the difference
was surprising.
  The first two lots-only once plowed-was
nearly one-third less in quantity, and did not
ripen so early. Moreover, the quality is not
so good by at least five cents per bushel. The
secret of both fall and spring plowing lies in
the extra depth. An ordinary team that can
plow six inches deep in the fall, can plow eight
inches deep in the spring. An extra two inch-
es of depth is of great consequenoe to corn.
I have seen corn roots only six inches long,
with shallow plowing, and I have seen them
twelve inches long, where the soil has been
loose, and I have measured one this fall, where
I plowed twice, sixteen inches long.
  In regard to deep plowing, the true theory
is that it secures a deep, dry, warm bed of air-
exposed soil, and that can be accomplished by
plowing one inch deeper every time until a foot
of good vegetable soil is attained. The soil is
then prepared for the penetration of air and



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