Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-04-02
IOWA FlEL B
EXPERT 'lllMENTS.

lVWA lEkO
EXPERT MENTS|
Director G. F. Curtiss. of the Iowa
Agricultural College Experiment Sta
ton, has issued a bulletin containing 81
brief statement Of the field experiments
conducted at the station during the
past two years. Whoever 10 engaged In
grain raising or in growing fodder for
stock will find something within these
pages that will interest. and it will
probably benefit him. The little
pamphlet was prepared by James At
kinson, some parts Of which are here
given:
An extensive system OF experiments
with field crops was begun at the sta
ton in the spring of 1898. The results
OF many OF these are not ready for pub
LEGATION, as 1t requires several years for
their verification. The purpose Of these
notes Is to give some information re-,
garding the principal varieties Of farm
crops grown in iowa.
1t is not our policy to advocate the
multiplication Of varieties, but rather
to encourage the Improvement OF those
Recognized as standard. 1t must not be
understood, however, that varieties no,
mentioned here are to be regarded as
worthless. IL results compare favor
f&1,
not advised that any change be made in
the seed used. In addition to the use Of
good varieties, there are other factors
which contribute to success in growing
crops, among which soil cultivation
and rotation play an important part.
1t might be mentioned here that clover
is given place in every fourth year
in our rotation. This. together with the
proper care and application Of manure,
enables US to keep the soil in high
state OF fertility.
CORN.
Fifty varieties OF corn We're grown
under similar conditions for the pur-
pose of comparison. We find great
difference in these varieties. especially
in their ability to yield profitable re-
turns. 1t was hoped that a full list of
these might be given, together with the
yield OF each, but a heavy wind storm
in the month of August SO damaged.
the crop that the results this year are
not strictly reliable. The yield varied
from thirty to seventy-five bushels per.
acre.
The following six varieties m " be re-
lied upon as being early as Well as good
Fyielders: Golden Beauty, Iowa Silver,
Mine, Early yellow Rose. Mortgage.
Litter, Capital and Rileys Favorite.
Fer the southern part Of the state,
where early maturity is not so imports
ant factor, the following varieties are
adapted: Legal Tender, Mammoth
Cuban and Snowflake White.
Corn Cultivation.-Th manner in
which corn should be cultivated is the
ment was begun last season in compar-
ing deep and shallow cultivation of
corn. BY the former is meant a depth
of five inches and by the latter from
one and one-haIf to two and one-half
Inches. The crop which received two
shallow civilizations gave a yield of 20
bushels per acre, while the same kind
of treatment five times continued until
July 90. gave a yield OF "a bushels per
acre. The results of deep cultivation
were 66 bushels per acre where the crop
was cultivated twice and 68 bushels per
acre from the section cultivated five
times. This shows an increase of near
I lyS eight bushels in favor of shallow
cultivation and gain of five bushels
per acre in favor of continuing the cult
lure until the crop is we'll advanced. 1t
will be necessary to continue this ex-
pertinent for number Of years. but we
believe the results are suggestive aud
worthy of publication at this time. 1t
may be mentioned here that early va
rieties should be used if cultivation is
continued far into the growing season,
as 1T causes q delay in ripening. In this
experiment the same variety OF corn
was used in each case.
WHEAT.
The fact that Iowa produces several
million bushels of wheat annually leads
us TO take upSa line of experiments,
both with winter and spring wheat.
Winter Wheat--As is well known. the
crop of winter wheat seeded in the fall
of 1895 was almost a total failure thru
out the state. This failure, due to win
slllhlSdSSS liza t11SlN
lis no variety sufficiently acclimated to
Withstand our severe winters. How
ever last winter was an exception and
should not discourage those who have
grown wheat successfully in the past.
BY close observation during the past
winter of the forty varieties grown on
our farm. we noticed that the Turkish
Red was the last to succumb to severe
conditions. AS the milling qualities OF
lsthis variety are of the highest order,
we are led Ito believe that it is more
suited to the conditions of this state at
1.-THE present time than any wheat on the
market.
Spring Wheat Forty varieties OF
spring wheat were seeded in the spring
/ of 1899. OF this number some half
dozen gave satisfactory yields, tho as
yet none have been found to equal thu
Blue Stem or Velvet Chat This va
| riety gave yield of 80 bushels per acre
on well prepared soil. Prominent
among the best varieties were White
Russian, Pillsbury, Wild Goose and
three varieties received from the Min
nesota experiment station. AS the Min
nesota wheats are the outcome o!
Ecrosses between the hardy wheats OF
THAT state, we are very hopeful of the
4 three varieties that have done so vel
4 this season. None Of the wheats
1 grown were free from rust. but in al
cases those freest from 1t gave the bes,
4 W., bar,,,,