The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-07-25
AT THE EXPERIMENT STATION
DR.. Traphagen Talks Interestingly Of
the Work Done by the Govern
ment STAFF. t..

meuC St00.
DR.. Frank w. Traphagen, head OF the
chemical department of the state agri-
cultural department at Bozeman, was
again in the city yesterday. on his way
to Deer Lodge county. and from there
to other points of the state. where he
will make a careful investigation of
alkali soils, and of test crop to be grown
on them.
I'VE have been carrying on this work
for four or five years, and have ac-
complished some important results. We
are aiming to learn the percentage of
alkali in the various soils: it may be
we can neutraliez an excess Of alkali by
special crops or otherwise; the crops
that do best in particular localities, and
the best way of caring for crops.
I'VE begin by making borings to the
depth of Is feet, where necessary, over
all the alkali territory, and taking good
samples Of the soil to the station at
Eozeman. Here we divide the soil into
several lots; planting some six varieties
CT crops in the soil, or in others which
is made the same by chemical analysis.
The various alkalies are tested by per
cents. Starting with soil free from
alkali, we take the soil impregnated
with various per cents of alkali, and
determine the comparative growth,
making many photographs during
growth, to show graphically what per
cent is helpful, what amount is injuri-
ous. Already we have been able to sug-
gest methods of cultivation that are
very helpful, and in some places o ro.
tation of crops that will aid the farmers
very greatly in making these yields pay.
''rhis year we are doing great deal
of work along the line Of beet sugar Gull
ture. We have out some 300 lots of
seed, in all parts of the state, in the
hands of careful ranchmen, who make
their reports to us of growth and Gull
ture, and submit their crop to us in the
fall for chemical analysis. The sugar
beet is sure of the most promising crops
that has ever been introduced into the
state. Climatic and soil conditions
seem to be advisable for the profitable
culture Of the sugar beet factories. It
might mean many millions to the state.
But the beet Is not lazy mans
crop, though 1t does make such reward
| to its careful cultivator. 1t needs con-
slant, painstaking care, and provides
work for all the year around, and the
| factory refuse makes pure feed for
stock The factory itself employees
many hanuS ana tie cuitiVdtfHS SEASON
| in the field means an army Of weeders
and laborers. A good sugar factory
should use the product of nearly 10000
| acres of beets.
'Tke Bitter Root and Gallatin valleys
promise we'll for beet culture. It Is
firmly believed that factory will short.
| IL be established in the Bitter Root
where tests extending over several years
seem to justify the building of a factory
worth half million dollars. No CAPT.
talist would care to invest SO much or
the tests Of a single year, and in othe,
iarts of the state the tests have MOI
yet seemed to justify the building. Bu
this years results may change this con
dition, as so many more men are inter
csted and giving the beet the culture i
needs Our experiment station bulle