Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1909-03-05

culture will most likelv Ike confined to a few
favored localities. Sugar beets appear to Ike.
west OF the Tooth meridian. a crop for irrigated
'afds although. to get at high percentage Of
sugar. too much irrigation must ie avoided
Heet seed requires moist seed he'd near the sur
'aee 'or It's termination. and the young plants
VIII HOT stand great extremes Of moisture. Sugar
'eets require longer growing season thar, most
OF Our dry lands afford. that the rainless period
OF July. August and September would Ike apt to
prevent their filling out. After the root is we'll
started to good depth. water is necessary to
make profitable tonnage. Dry lands might
make very rich crop in percentage of sugar.
but probably too light in Tonnage to te profitable
Notwithstanding this. f. BROOK Martin If
1soze,nan grew Is IA tons Of sugar teets without
irrigation III 1906 and the quality was irst.class
H. W. Campbell reports yield of % tons of
sugar teets per acre without irrigation in Lisbon
N. D., i'll 1897.
FIELD PEAS.
Field peas are we'll suited to dry farm Col,{ii-
tons. although experimental trials in Montana
have not been numerous enough to justify very
definite assertions in regard to them. 1t is per
haps. unfortunate that they have not been made
the subject Of tests with particular reference to
their aeiaptat,ility to dry farm conditions and
methods Of cultivation worked out in that con-
nection. 1t should l,e horne in mind, however
that no day farm experiments have been running
III slontana for more than three or four years.
means have been limited and other problems
have taken precedence. SO that thorough study
Of the pea crop with reference to dry farm con-
ditions has yet to Ike made.
Nevertheless. general principles and ol,serva-
tons III dry farm gardens and upon scattering
plants here and there upon the semi-arid lands
seem to warrant the belief that peas will do well
OIL Montana dry lands III the first place the
seed is large and supplied with store of nour-
isfn,ent to last the young plant until its roots
have made good development. The young
plants are therefore very hardy
In the second place. peas start early and grow
at lower tenperture than most crops SO that they
will have made good progress II growth before
the rains cease.
Third. they are early to MIXTURE and will COM
plete their growth and ripen seeds before the
pinch OF extreme drouth comes OH.
Fourth. their root system is very extensive and
extends to considerable depth. which enables
them to take advantage of supplies OF soil inois.
ture and prevents their feeling its lack as quick
~ as some crops.
Peas may he drilled at intervals of eighteen or
twenty inches and cultivated during the early
stages OF growth. and thus conserve the mois-
ture supply.
Their value soil enricher is important.
Among the nitrogen gatherers they occupy a
peculiar position OIL the dry farm, for they are
All annual and produce lux,,riant early growth.
while af alta requires year to get started a: Mt
least two or three years to realize the full
benefit i'll rotation. Glover is too uncertain to
Ike OF much value at present dry land. Peas
therefore. supply the need Of one years soil en-
riching crop i'll our dry farm scheme OF rotation
The Use OF peas are for seed and as forage
Seed production is a business that needs to he
worked out more in detail than this article per
mits As a forage peas are among the richest in
protein OF any that produce.
Pea vines are relished by most OF our farm ami
mails either fresh or cured into hav: but one of
the best methods OF feeding is to pasture them
OIL with sheep or hogs. These animals will pick
up very closely the peas that shatter and cause
yer, little waste to the mature crop
BEANS.
Messrs. f.. and S. D. Bovee of Cedar in Custer
county, have planted this season 100 acres OF
navy beans. Messrs. Bovee have been expert
mentng with beans unirryatetl lands for
several seasons and their experience has con-
WINGED them OF the feasibility of growing beans
OH a large scale, with every assurance of success
They have selected California tree bean
which grows upright, very large and roots deeply
The plants grow stem, the size Of man $ finger
and have produced 600 lAans plant. They
are sown i'll drills. using s-foot grain drill with
all hut four holes stopped. after danger of frost
is past in May. They are cultivated during
growth to conserve moisture and kill the weeds.
Montana climatic conditions arc perfect for
r,,ari N1,s.>r
We should expect therefore to produce beans OF
the very finest quality to he had.
II this crop proves, on general trial to be
a successful dry farm ventura it will fill a very
important place as:
A money crop
An intertilled crop.
A soil enricher. OR nitrogen gathervr
crop adapted to the dry faIna-
HAY AND FORAGE
Among the hay or forage crops VIZ tselicyc that
two will prove themselves to bt oxttsta,,siin. OH
the dry farm. These the alfalfa and bronze
GRASS.
Dry land farmers cannot he too strongly urged
to Erow alfalfa. 1t is abundant lsr.xlccr OF
either hay or pasture and is ol tlsx very hest
soil improvers known to the a..ric uitu,ist. The
CTO, has shown itself a,lnirabN aaEsuseyi to dry
land culture, SO that under proper management
there is why il ,mly no always Ike
.rovM.
Experience has shown that it i, unwise 10 at.
tempt to start crop Of alfalfa fresh breaking
During very favorble seasons crutss nlay he sue
cessfmlly started under these cpE1stitioss hut the
farmer is taking great risk OF losing his crop
should the le somewhat trnfuyovatle Tor a
time.
The hest results have been eatuinc,l when al