The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1910-05-05
CEREALS ON NEW LANDS.
First Section of Important Arti-
Gle on Grain Raising.

NlC VII
BY J. U. MCPHERSTN, AGRICULTURAL SUP
ERINTENDENT, IDAHO IRRIGATION co.
Grain crops can be raised on practi-
cally any of the soils of Idaho and are
in general the best crop that can be
grown on most of the lands the first
year after being cleared of sage brush,
because of the usual uneveness of this
raw land at the outset.
Land first cleared and then leveled
always settles more or less unevenly
after the first seasons irrigation and
consequently it is generally best to
count on the permanent leveling of the
land for economical irrigation of such
permanent crops as alfalfa, clover or
orchard after some cereal crop has been
grown and the land is irrigated during
the first year.
The methods followed in raising grain
crops on raw land the first year on all
the Twin Falls tracts is in the main
similar with some slight differences de-
pending on the character of the soil in
the Individual area to be planted.
AS soon as possible after the land has
been cleared of sage brush either in the
fall, winter or very early spring, the
fall being preferable, it should be plow-
ed. If the clearing is done in the fall
and the soil is in condition for fall plow-
ing it is better to plow then, provided,
of course, the soil is not of beachy
nature. The plowing of land for the
first time is not very deep, that is, not
more than from five to seven inches in
order that the top or humus soil may
not be turned too deep and the roots of
the plants during their early growth,
may have the advantage of the humus
1t is probably preferable to plow the
hrst year with a mouldboard plow on
land where surface rock may not inter
fere, though | have seen successful first |
year crops grown on land plowed with
disc plows, in fact our entire acreage
was done with disc plows this year, and
good crop results were gotten.
Narrowing as general rule should
be done as soon after plowing as pos
sible. The ideal condition after spring
blowing is to harrow each day the plow-
ing that has been done on that day, and
where an Individual is farming a small
acreage you will find it about as econ
omical and very essentialin in the conserv-
ng of the moisture to follow this
plan. Of course, in large acreages,
this ideal condition is not practical, but
he next thing to it is the narrowing
ust as soon after the plowing as possi-
de-
AS a general rule, it is better to har-
.ow the land once each way. This pull
yerizes the soil, conserves the moisture
md makes better seed bed than har-
owing once, though we found it neces-
ary with the large work we had in
land this year to harrow some of our
and once only and substantial first year
rops were produced.
Either disc or spike tooth harrow is
sed in this work with good results,
With a preference for the disc harrow
7here the soil is tough and cloddy. !
1t has been unnecessary in the sandy 2
oils to do any narrowing, but instead c
he floats which are used in leveling and q
5hich l will describe later, Immediately '
blow the plowing. e
About as important as any one of the +
perations in connection with cereal 6
reduction on first year land is the lev e
ling Where the land is extremely /,
neven, it is a good plan to take off the
Ugh bumpy spots either with graders v
r fresnos, filling up the low spots be- a
ore any plowing is done, and covering a
lie spots where the top soil has been Il
lken off, with we'll rotted manure a
rovided that is available.
Where, however, land in general is e,
even, the leveling follows a
lie blowing and narrowing, and is simp el
process of floating with a home ir
lilt leveler of differing sizes according a,
the amount of stock to be used. This O,
,ating is not done with any idea of S
ing more than giving the land gen pl
al eveness of surface on the existing OF
ope in some one or two definite direc- al
ons so that the water will have gen el
al slope without humps or hollows to M
eek its flow Sc
Too much time cannot be given to the br
oper leveling of land as it becomes pc
rmanent asset to the farm just as do th
e buildings, and it reduces the irriga-
N cost proportionately. sa
1t is always question as to what are dl
2 best cereal crops to be grown, both
: the advantage of the soil, and the
liar returns. Some of the farmers
the Twin Falls South Side tract,
ich is the oldest tract in cur district ed
i'm that the growing of barley is ri
rder on the soil than either oats or