The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-06-05
FOR THE FARMERS.

hon at FarBo-WhlCh may not De out
Of the hands OF the printer for two
weeks-gives the result of eight years
observation upon the dates when fall
trosts occur. Taking the temperature
which registers 20 degrees Fahrenheit
as representing what is commonly
known as killing frost" the record
shows that in 1898 killing frost occur
rcd Sept. Q, which is the earliest date
at which so low a temperature has
been recorded at Fargo during the past
eight years. During three Of the eight
years killing frosts occurred on Sept.
II and 10. In 1896 a killing frost came
upon Sept. %, and in 1893 upon Sept. rs.
while in 1895 Il reached the killing frost
point upon Sept. 80. The season Of 1857
was the latest one recorded, frost haY-
Ing held nff that fall until Oct. IL. on
percentage basis the above figures
Indicate that crop which would be
dc stroyed by "a temperature Of rs deg.
Fahrenheit would take a risk of IL l-E
er cent of being killed by frost Sept.
Q; 80 per cent of being killed by frost
on or before Sept. II to Is; IS per cent
Of being killed by frost on or before
| Sept % to 25; 81 1-2 per cent OF being
killed by frost on or before Sept. 50;
! 100 per cent of being killed by frost on
or before oct. u.
The writer's of the bulletin call at
| tention to the fact that the exact de-
gree of cold required to injure wheat
depends to some extent upon the stage
| Of growth OF the plant. and, possibly,
upon some other minor points.
| The Bulletin shows that wheat re-
uuires from a5 to 1O6 days to mature;
oats require SIS to 1O2 days to mature;
fax requires SO to 95 days to mature;
millet requires 81 to 30 days TO mature;
corn requires about 100 days TO mature
The mum Der of days required for rip
ening the crops listed above is for sea-
sonable planting. and will need 10 be
somewhat extended for years when the
final ripeniug of small grains must take
place late IN the season aud during COO
weather. Late grain will stand for
DAYS in cool weather with very little
change in the degree of ripeness, while
grain in a similar state Of maturity
during intensely warm summer wealth
er may become dead ripe and IN oao'
ger of Smelling I'm one-half, or even one
third of that time.
II is not a simple question in arith'
metic to determine how late partcu
lar crop m0y be planted. You canho
subtract 100 days of time from the da''
Of the frost which represents the per
centaga of risk that the wheat grove
has decided to take. IF that were th'
case. II would be easy to decide upoi
a risk and make the calculation de
scribed If ten extra days Is aho"e'
for grain 10 ripen, to offset the coo
Septcmber weather, June would req
resent the limiting date for sowlh'
oats. even when the grower had dc
ciGed to risk so per cent, or take MAJ
of a chance for a crop. II IL IL Pc
cent is as much risk as he cares
take the record would indicate tina
Nav q would be the limit Barley an
fax nave averaged a week earlier ina
oats In the trials made by the station
Certain strains of barley-partcularl
some Of the lows growing, hulless ohs
are much earlier matured than TN
average varieties. and hence make les
risk in late sowing.
Millet and corn really belong TO
class by themselves, owing TO the rae
that ni,let Is commonly used for ma!
and hence does not need to mature
while corn ripens its ears or gram
considerably after killing frosts occu
Corn Is usually grown for both IN
grain aui the fodder, or slower, IN IN
state. and for that reason 1t is not
, serious a matter for 1t to be imme
ture when frost occurs as 1t is in u
case of small grain. The authors
the bulletin call attention to the IA
that the figures given are for eight an
nine years only, and that they Shout
not, on that account, be considere
final.
For the benefit of persons who al
= growing beans or other tender plant
5 the bulletin writer's have given u
dates of the occurrence of the first "a
, frosts during the past eight years, VII
] when the thermometer first recorded
temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenhe
, or below. The record is as follows