The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1901-06-06
GRAINS AND GRASSES.
Experiments With Alfalfa to Prove that Pork
Gan be Produced At Two Cents Per Pound.

experiments win AItaIfA to Prove that Pork
Can be Produced at Two Cents Per Pound.
Grains and grasses are growing on the
.. X. & N. experimental farm, near
Walla Walla, in way that should satisfy
the most exacting agrostologist, and Col.
onel R. c. Judson, the industrial agent
OF the company, wears 6o-bushel-to-th the
acre smile. There are 3os varieties of
grain in cultivation, aud all are healthy
and heading. Prominent farmers of the
Walla Walla valley make regular visits to
the farm and take notes of the expert
ments. They take great interest in the
appearance Of oats treated with formal
dehyde to prevent smut. while the Tur-
kestan alfalfa which Colonel Judson i'm
ported from near the roof of the world
over in Asia is simply beyond their ken.
There are 10 acres in Alfalfa. 1t stands
three feet high and is as closely matted
as lawn grass So far the importation
has proved itself gopher proof. Probably
its roots are too bitter for the sweet
toothed pest of the grain fields. The
present crop Of the alfalfa will be cut for
hay. and the ne xt crop, due in 80 days.
will je saved for seed.
Nothing in the range Of agriculture
astonishes and pleases the farmers of the
Inland Empire 50 much as the expert
ment with the native bunchgrass. 1t was
supposed to be difficult plant to domes-
ticate, but Colonel Judson has had no
trouble with it. From seed gathered
along the o. R. & N. right Of way he
planted one acre, which last near netted
three tons of hay and seed enough for 36
acres.
Four acres have been seeded to amber
cane to test the relative values of summer
following and crop soiling. Colonel Jud-
son thinks it is nonsense for farmers to
summer fallow when the land can be
furnishing pasture and being fertilized
for the next crop of grain. On one acre
10 sheep will Be pastured all summer.
They will be enclosed in space of an
eighth of an acre. and as fast as they eat
the cane men will let down the hurdle
fences and give them the run Of the ad-
joining eighth. This process will be con-
tinued while there is cane to eat and SUBJ
stance in the growth. The result is ex-
pected to demonstrate the value of amber
cane as food for sheep, and the value of
the sheep to the land for fertilizing pur-
poses. One acre of amber cane will be
fed green to COW to determine whether
an acre, instead of being left idle in
summer fallow, cannot be made to Weld
revenue in the way of food. The milk of
the COW which will be experimental with
will be weighed daily and tested once a
week. These data, when collected, will
be furnished for the benefit of the inland
dairymen who are building up the cream
cry industry. The product of the third
acre will be shocked and dried and stored
for winter feeding. 1t is expected that
amber cane will yield from to 10 tons
fodder to the acre.
Perhaps the most interesting of his ex-
periments which will be made on the
farm this year will be the one to DEM
onstrate that pork can be produced at two
cents per pound An acre of alfalfa will
be fenced for the sole use of pigs. The
animals will be given nothing to eat but
alfalfa and nothing to drink but water,
except in fattening time, when they will
be put on diet Of nutritious Canadian
held peas. Nothing would suit the In
land Empire farmers 50 much as to raise
pork at cents and sell it for 6. and This
is what Colonel Judson is trying to do for |
them.-Oregonian.