The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1909-01-09
BEST FORAGE PLANT.


/
Washington State Experiment Static,
Makes Extensive Investigation.
In order to discover a forage plant
Shieh will grow and yield profitable
crops in the so-called dry section y
OF the state, the staff of the State
College Experiment Station has car
ried on extensive Investigations az
both the local and sub-siations during
the past year. Scores OF forage plant.
have been planted and tested, aud al
the present stage OF this experimental
ton. i Is known that milo maize
/ Jerusalem corn, artiehokes, Kaffsf
corn, ana amber cane corn are among
the best adapted plants for "dry
farming"
The work OF the sub.station AZ Con.
nell has been carried along four liues:
first, there has been an effort to dc.
termine the best method OF handling
summer tallow, including atudy of
NC effect OF certain tools; second.
mere mas been study Of the adapts-
hility OF various well-known dry LAND
forage plants 10 central Washington
conditions, third. study OF the effect
ot GROWING a cultivated crop, in place
OF the summer fallow, upon the whcat
crop; fourth, there has been a study OF
ne adaptsbility and methods OF seed
ing OF wcll-known dry land grasses.
and legumes.
Although the past season has been
an exceptionally dry one. and the re-
suits could not be expected 10 show
forage crops in as favorable a light :
the average season would. vet several
plants showed up very promising.
Among these were Jerusalem corn.
milo maize, Kaffir corn, artichokes
and amber cane corn. Another prom
ising one was a small. early maturing
variety Of dent corn.
Other plants tried were COW meas.
SOY beans, chick pea. common millct |
Japanese millet. Hungarian millct |
golden millet, common field peas |
kale, rape, popcorn and flint corn
On September 10 the Milo maize |
showed itself TO be the best drou,h |
resister. This plant grows very SINH |
lar to corn. except that II scatters a |
great deal more, and is more leafy |
Jerusalem corn and Kaffir corn are
both very similar in appearance le
Common corn, being about midway
: etween common corn and Milo maize
n business Their seed, however, is
I orne in large and fairly compact |
head. or bunch on the end OF the stalk
They yield quite heavily in most
places, aud Judging from this years
experiences would mature a fair quan-
tity OF seed AZ Council, which makes
very useful feed for poultry aud
swine.
The difference in the showing OF
jerusalem and kaffir corn and Milo
maize was quite noticeable. While
ne leaves OF the two former plants
nd not dry up, the inner plants OF the
llotS were about one-third smaller in
,lze than the plants on the outer edge
his showed that their growth had 1
)een materially checked BY the short.
sge OF moisture. The trial leaves rs
nder the impression that Jerusalem |
nd kafftr corn are but poorly adapt
! to central Washington conditions.
Dent corn made almost a perfect |
'tand, but the growth was scanty. and /.
'nly small quantity Of nubbins ma.
ured.
The present seasons growth could
lot be considered proved crop, but
orn OF the same strain grown on land
djoining the experiment station last
ear was fair crop, and may be taken
s fairly good demonstration az
What could be done with dent corn
u any good, dry land farm The
eed, however, would have to be
dapted 70 the locality
The flint corn and the popcorn
lade good stand. and matured we'll
NJ their growth was so small that
hey could not be given consideration
comparison with dent corn. The
rtichokes made an excellent stand,
nd showed remarkable ability TO con
nue. their growth throughout the en-
re dry season.
Whether II would pay to utilize I
rain land for the growth of these
pots Is an open question. The other
lants that were used made so light
rowth this season that further trial
III be necessary before they can be
onsidered as even promising.
VI the non-cultivated forage plants.
&c. most promising was the alfalfa.
his made fairly good stand. and
ontinued to grow slowly throughout
&c entire season On September 10
stood about. eighteen inches or two
'et hiRh. rs the first season is needed
establish alfalfa, this is considered
excellent showing The alfalfa was
'cded with a grain drill which al
wed the seed TO be conducted down
TO the shoes OF the drill, so that 1t
as deposited in moist soil n 4
reasonable whether good stand
'uld be secured by broadcast seed |
.. and narrowing in. II
Hairy veteh made poor stand but
promising growth. The tenaeity '
I'm winch they cling to the soil when
ice established makes II rather nneS
enable whether 1t would pay TO seed
,od grain land to vetch. unless
ornament pasture is desired r.
Of the grasses, the most promising |
as the slender wheat grass: smooth / /
ONE grass. Neither OF these grasses -
,wever. showed up as we'll as the =.
falfa Another seasons growth Il
eded TO determine ANYTHING definite II
garding their production. Other
asses tried were meadow fcsrue or. II
ard grass, tall oat grass None Of
csc. grasses made a show worthy Of
cntion. Since the past season has
en- exceptionally dry. they will be
ven another trial.
! he only suggestions the station
> to make TO farmers regarding Il
csc forage crops are that alfalfa :
ome grass. aeclimated dent corn.
10 maize. Jerusalem corn and Kaffir
m are worthy OF trial in a small
". The farmer had better learn
" TO handle them. however before
ing them on large scale.
Waist-Lfns Woes.
When you would put your dsxtsr Ar
Around a girl, II Is 4 sin.