Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1909-02-05
BEST FORAGE PLANT.
Washington State Experiment Station
Makes Extensive Inve stigation.


Makes Extensive Investigation.
In order to discover a forage plant
which will grow and yield profitable
crops in the so-called dry section
of the state, the staff of the State
College Experiment Station has car
ried on extensive investigations at
both the local and sub-statons during
the past year. Scores of forage plant.
have been planted and tested, and at
the present stage of this experimental
ton. it is known that milo maize
Jerusalem corn, artichokes. KaffiI
corn. ano amber cane corn are among
the best adapted plants for dry
farming"
The work of the sub-station at Con.
nell has been carried along four lines:
First, there has been an effort to de-
termine the best method of handling
summer fallow, including a 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 effec'
Of GROWING a cultivated crop, in place
of the summer fallow. upon the wheat
crop; fourth, there has been a study OF
The adaDtablity and methods OF seed
ing of well-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 a.
the average season would, yet several
olants showed up very promising
Among these were Jerusalem corn
milo maize Kaffir corn artichoke,
and amber cane corn Another prom
iSing one was small, early maturing
variety of dent corn
Other plants tried were cow peas
soy beans, chick pea. common millet
japanese millet, Hungarian milet
golden millet, common field peas
kale, rape. pO0corn 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
great de9l more. and is more leafy
Jerusalem corn and Kaffir corn are
both very similar in appearance
'ommon corn, being about midway
ClWCSI COllllllOll COlll dlQ MILO maze
business. Their seed. however. is
torne in large and fairly compnc,
head. or bunch on the end of the stalk
They yield quite heavily in most
places, and judging from this years
experience. would mature a fair ouan.
tity Of seed ~ Connell. 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
plots were about one-third smaller III
size than the plants on the outer edge
This showed that their growth had
,een mate~ "llv checked by the short
age of moisture. The trial le7vc
der the impression that Jerusalem
ID Kaffir corn are but poorly adapt
| to central Washington conditions
Dent corn made almost a perfect
stand. but the growth was scanty. and
only small quantity Of nubbns m
tured
The present seasons growth could
not be considered proved crop. br
corn Of the same strain grown on land
adjoining the experiment station last
wear was fair crop and may be taken
as a fairly good demonstration
what could be done with dent corn
on anv good dry land farm. The
seed. however. would have to be-
adopted to the locality.
The flint corn and the popcorn
made a good stand. and matured well
N,t ha, ~,
.hev could not be given consideration
in comparison with dent corn. The
artichokes made an excellent stand.
and showed remork0ble ability to cor
tinue their growth throughout the er
ire drv season.
Whether it would pay TO utilize
rain land for the growth of thes'
oots is an open question The other
GIANTS thNt were used made so light a
growth this season that furthe- -;
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 fairly good stand and
Continued to grow slowly throughout
the entire season On September ~
1t stood about eighteen inches or two
feet high. AS the first season is needed
10 establish alfalfa. this is consider
an excellent showing. The alfalfa was
seeded with a grain drill, which al
: lowed the seed to be conducted down
into the shoes of the drill, so that it
was deposited in moist soil. 1t is
questionable whether a good stand
could be secured by broadcast seed
ing and narrowing in.
Hairy vetch made poor stand. but
promising growth. The tenacity
with which they cling to the soil when
once established makes it rather oree-
! tionabe whether it would pay to seed
good grain land to vetch. un e
e permanent pasture is desired
| OF the grasses, the most promising
: was the slender wheat grass; smooth
$ bronze grass. Neither of these grasses