Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1908-11-13
Experimenting With Forage
Crops.


extensive investigations at both the
Pullman and sub-stations during the
past year. Scores of forage plants
have been planted and tested. and at
the present stage of this experimental
ton, 1t is known that milo maize,
Jerusalem corn. artichokes, Kaffir
corn, and amber cane corn are among
the best adapted plants for "dry farm
ing"
The work of the sub-station at Con-
nell has been carried along four lines /:
First, there has been an effort to de-
tes.c,'ne the best method of handling
summerfallow, including a study of
the effect of certain tools: second.
there has been study of the adapti-
bllity of various well known dry
land forage plants to central Washing
ton conditions; third, a study of the
effect of growing a cultivated crop, in
place of the summerfallow, upon the
wheat crop. Fourth, there has been
a study of the adaptibility and meth
DDS of seeding of we'll known dry land
grasses and legumes.
Although the past season has been
an exceptionally dry one, and the re-
suits could not be expected to show
forage crops in as favorable a light as
the average season would, yet several
plants showed up very promising
Among them We're Jerusalem corn.
milo maize, Kafiir corn. artichokes,
and amber cane corn. Another promis-
ing one was small early maturing
variety of dent corn.
Other plants tried were COW peas,
soy beans. chick pea, common milet.
Japanese miIlet, Hungarian mllet.
golden millet, common field peas,
kale, rape, popcorn and flint corn.
On September 10 the Milo maize
showed itself to be the best drouth re-
gisterer. This plant grows very
similar to corn, except that it scatters
a great deal more, and is more leafy.
On the day mentioned, it stood nearly
shoulder high at Cornell. and gave
no evidence of burning. If the maize
had been soWn a little earlier, and the
season had been normal, there is no
doubt but that fair tonnage of forage
would have been obtained
Jerusalem corn and Kafiir corn are
both very similar in appearance to
common corn, being about midway
between common corn, and Milo maize
in business. Their seed. however, is
borne in a large and fairly compact
head, or bunch on the end of the stalk.
They yield quite heavily in most
places. and judging from this year.
experience. would mature a fair guam
tity of seed at Connell, which makes
very useful feed for poultry and swine.
The difference in the sowing of Je-
rusalem and Kaffir corn. and milo
maize was quite noticeable. While
the leaves of the two former plants
did not try to dry up, the inner plants
of the plots were about one third
smaller in size than the plants on the
growth had materially checked by the
shortage of moisture. The trial leaves
US under the impression that Jerusalem
and Kaffir corn are but poorly adapted
to Central Washington conditions.
The present seasons growth could
not be considered approved crop. but
of the same strain grown on land adj
joining the Experiment Station last
year was fair crop, and maybe taken
as a fairly good demonstration of what
could be done with dent corn on any
good, dry land farm. The seed, how
ever, would have to be adapted to the
locality.
The flint corn and the popcorn made
a good stand, and matured we'll, but
their growth was so small that they
could not be given consideration in
comparison with dent corn. The arti-
chokes made an excellent stand, and
showed remarkable ability to continue
their growth throughout the entire dry
season.
Whether it would pay to utilize
grain land for the growth of these
roots is an open question. The other
plants that were used made so light a
growth this season that further trial
will be necessary before they can be
considered as even promising.
OF the non cultivated forage plants,
the most promising was the alfalfa.
This made a fairly good stand, and
continued to grow slowly throughout
the entire season,
On September 10 it stood about
eighteen inches or two feet high. AS
the first season is needed to establish
alfalfa, this is considered an excel
lent showing. This alfalfa was seeded
with grain drill. which allowed the
seed to be conducted down into the
shoes of the drill, so that it was de-
posted in moist soil. 1t is question