The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1909-02-18
BEST FORAGE PLANT.
Washington State Experiment Station
Makes Extensive Investigation.


In order to discover forage plant
which, viii grow and yield profitable
crops in the so-called dry section
OF the state, the staff OF the State
College Experiment Station has car
RED on extensive Investigations at
both the local and sub-stations during
1.-The past year. Scores OF forage plant.
have been planted and tested. and at
1.-The present stage OF this experimental
ton. il is known that milo maize
Jerusalem corn, artichokes. Kaffis
corn. ana amber cane corn are among
the best adapted plants for "dry
| farming"
The work Of the sub station - Con.
nell has been carried along four lines:
First, there has been an effort 10 de-
termine the best method OF handling
summer fallow, including study Of
the effect of certain tools; second,
there has been study OF the adapta-
bility of various well-known dry lano
! forage plants to central Washington
conditions; third. study Of the effect
Of GROWING a cultivated crop, in place
of the summer fallow. upon the wheat
crop; fourth, there has been a study OF
! The adaptability and methods of seed
ing Of well-known dry land grasses,
and legumss.
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 light as
the average season would, yet several
plants showed up very promising.
Among these were Jerusalem corn.
milo maize, Kaffir corn. artichokes
and amber cane corn. Another prom
isine one was small. early maturing
variety of dent corn.
Other plants tried were COW peas,
soy beans, chick pea. common millet.
japanese millet, Hungarian millet
golden millet, common field peas.
kale, rape. popcorn and flint corn
On September 10 the Milo maize
showed itself to be the best drouth
resister. This plant grows very SINH
lar to corn, except that it scatters a
great deal more, and is more leafy
Jerusalem corn and Kaffir corn are
both very similar in appearance to
'ommon corn, being about midway
etween common corn and Milo maize
business Their seed, however, is
orne in large and fairly compact
lcad. or bunch on the end OF the stalk
they yield quite heavily in most
places, and judging from this years
experience. would mature fair guam
tity of seed IT Cornell. which makes
very useful feed for poultry and
swine.
The difference in the showing of
Jerusalem and Kaffir corn and Milo
maize was quite noticeable. While
the leaves OF the two former plants
did not dry up the inner plants of the
oots were about one-third smaller in
size than the plants on the outer edge
This showed that their growth had |
,een materially checked by the short
,ge of moisture, The trial leaves
der the impression that Jerusalem |
Kaffir corn arc but poorly adapt
to central Washington conditions.
Dent corn made almost a peri
stand but the growth was scanty.
only small quantity of nubbins
-ured.
The present seasons growth co
not be considered proved crop.
'orn of the same strain grown on
the experiment station
year was fair crop. and may be ia ~,
IS a fairly good demonstration,
what could be done with dent corn
On any good. dry land farm. The
'eed however, would have to be
'dapted to the locality.
The flint corn and the popcorn
made good stand. and matured well
,ut their growth was so small that
hey could not be given consideration
n comparison with dent corn. The
rtichokes made an excellent stand.
nd showed remarkable ability to con
inue their growth throughout the en-
ire drv season.
Whether it would pay to utilize
rain land for the growth of thesc
cots is an open question The other
lants that were used made so light
-rowth this season that further trio
will be necessary before they can be :
onsidered as even promising,
OF the non-cuitivated forage plants
he most promising was the alfalfa ,
his made a fairly good stand and
ontinued to grow slowly throughout
he entire. season On September 10
stood about eighteen inches or two |
eet high AS the first season is needed
0 establish alfalfa. this is considere
n excellent showing The alfalfa was
eeded with grain drill, which al |
owed the seed to be conducted down
lto the shoes of the drill so that it
-as deposited in moist soil 1t is
fashionable whether a good stand
ould be secured by broadcast seed
lg and narrowing in. |
Hairy vetch made poor stand. but
promising growth The tenacity |
18th which they cling to the soil when
nee established makes it rather ores |
enable whether it would pay to seed
nod grain land to vetch. uneS.
ornament pasture is desired. :
OF the grasses, the most promising
as the slender wheat grass; smooth
rome grass. Neither OF these grasses,
owever. showed up as we'll as the
falfa Another seasons growth isl
cedcd to determine anything definite
,garding their production. Other
rasses tried were meadow fescue. or
Yard grass. tall oat grass. None of
lese grasses made show worthy of
ention Since the past season has
zen exceptionally dry. they will be
ven another trial.
The only suggestions the station
as 10 make to farmers regarding
ese forage crops are that alfalfa,
ONE grass. acclimated dent corn.