Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1907-02-09
CORN RAISING IN
EASTERN WASHINGTON
rotIeoe Professor gives Interesting
Information Regarding Corn
Raising in this State.


from Professor Geo. Severance will be
~ value to the ranchers who are seek
mo diversified farming as a means of
nreserving soil nutrition. The subject
Ia corn raising is assuming prominence
in Eastern Washington and will be-
come more so as the years go on.
Professor Severance writes:
In natural fertility of soil it is
Questionable whether there is in the
limited States a more favored spot
than the Palouse, and there are very
few places where a larger percentage
Of well-to-do farmers may be found,
vet in the majority of cases the wealth
has been accumulated not by success
full farming in the true sense Of the
word, but because lands were very
rich and cheap and so many acres
were farmed that very low net returns
per acre would aggregate liberal in
come. Many less favored spots in
the East yield a much larger net
revenue per acre, and with the rapid
development of the Palouse with the
breaking up of the large wheat farms
and the increase in land values we
must follow the example of the east
ern farmers and practice more intens-
i've farming to increase our net
revenues.
Among the many considerations in
1Olved in such improvement, the fol-
lowing three may be mentioned as i'm
portant in relation to the corn crop:
First-Our land is idle one third of
1.-THE time and a crop is needed that
will give US good returns from our
summer fallows without reducing the
present wheat returns. Results of
many trials both at the experiment
stesion and by farmers have proven
.ha the introduction of a carefully
cultivated corn crop on our summer
Eallows will usually be followed by
even better wheat crops than are pro-
B deed on our summer fallows as or
i dinarly handled. Furthermore, as
ka2 corn will pay profit on all labor
connected win its production there is
charged against the wheat crop for
preparation of the soil only little
disking after the corn is off.
Second-Our land is becoming very
Joe. On many of our farms a large
acr.age of grain is almost entirely
crowded out each year by wild oats
which by no means return the value in
hay that should be secured by first
class crop of grain from the same
acreage. The portion of the crop left
Tor grain is often much reduced in
yield through choking by foul stuff
and the returns are still further reduce
10y cut in price owing to inferior
quality of grain. With the introduce
uon OF the corn crop the early prepar-
atlon of the land for the crop will
conserye the moisture and encourage
me termination of weeds and with
cean cultivation of the crop the upper
surface of the soil will be largely
ifeed OF weed seeds before the season
over. The objection frequently
urged againste arly blowing and clean
euitlvation of the summer fallow, that
'ne wheat will lodge, is overcome by
Tue use of the corn crop. Early
ploWlng and clean cultivation will
Viean the land rapidly of foul stuff but
,uch soil is in the very best condition
wi the formation of available plant
iOOd and with nothing growing all
summer the available food accumulates
u excess, overstimulating the wheat
uOp following the excessive growth
straw. Proper care of the corn
SOp Will be effective in cleaning the
anu and at the same time the grow
* corn will use up the excess OF
sOluole plant food so that the sue.
'seoing wheat crop will not be over
sslniulated. Furthermore, piece
I yen tended corn ground will be in
'e'ef moisture condition at wheat
euing time than the average sum.
vi lallow of the PaIouse.
imrd;-0n every grain farm a
~ Taioer of hogs should be kept to save
gram wasted in the fields, anc
! h. s4'e cattle to use up the roughage,
), ~ II they are to utilize this to 'best
msantage, they should have some
splppilementary feed and nothing will
D.. sne bill much better than corn.
F NV Hcuiarly is this true if dairying i.
branch of the business.
many farmers still doubt the pos.
MN of growing corn success.
In, NY IN the Palouse. While we do mo-
'neSe that it is now or ever will be
E "a. 'sess as a primary, we believe
sms NJ us success as a secondary crop i.