El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-12-24
Wheat and Other Gains In
the Rio Grande Valley
EXPERTS GIVE VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS.

our trials In answer, to the question
How would you tel; when to irri-
gate?" 1 would break through the dry
surface and examine the soil to depth
of several inches. If this is well sup.
piled with moisture there is no imme-
date need of more water as the wheat
roots penetrate to a depth of five OF
more feet on light soils and proper
tionately less distance on heavier soils
If the small roots are in moisture, the
plant will thrive.
On account of danger from smut
which is very noticeable at times all
seed should be treated either with 2
solution made of 16 ounces of formalir
in 40 gallons of water, the seed being
thoroughly sprinkled and covered for
II hours, or dipped in the solution for
so minutes and then dried. Or the
usual treatment with copper sulphate
or blue stone may be used This is .
little more trouble and not So satisfac
tory as the other but gives good re-
suits. Use 1 pound of the crystals dis
solved in "a gallons of water, soak the
seed for II hours and dry thoroughly.
Grow Your Own Seed.
It should be the aim of every wheat
farmer to select the very best variety
for his locality aud then keep mis-
variety pure by growing a small seed
patch each year. This should be kepI
clear of noxious weeds and all heads
that tend TO be extremely early or late
in ripening should also be removed.
This crop should be threshed and kept
separate for seed.
In answers to questions: I would
allow the wheat to mature thoroughly.
before cutting, as in the later stages Of
growth there is a decided increase in
tho w OH Of ha oron
Early seeded spring wheat which
blooms early may be caught by very
late frost Wheat is destroyed by frost
at blooming time.
From the data now at hand, the soft
wheat of this valley is as good as the
soft spring wheats elsewhere.
Other Small Grains.
J. W. Taylor, of Dona Ana, followed
with a discussion of Other Small
Grains" He brought out the value Of
growing small grains until the land
was in fit condition to receive alfalfa.
pointing out, as well, that the average
yield of alfalfa as now grown on many
farms does not compare favorably with
the returns to be had from grain His
experience has been that it is best to
leave off the nurse-crop when sowing
alfalfa for the reason that when the
nurse crop does well, the alfalfa
suffers. 1t is the best plan to grow
the nurse-crop the first year and then
the alfalfa after the land is well
Ieveled
Careful Preparation.
He cited the care with which the
land to receive alfalfa, pointing out
that whereas their land varied only
about a fourth Of an inch between the
borders, two inches would be very close
leveling for the average farmer. Seven
tons of alfalfa per acre was raised G
this land SO carefully prepared.
1t is necessary to grow grain for the
horses and other livestock on the farm.
Beardless barley has yielded as much as
so bushels on the farm of Mr.. O'Hara,
and the speaker has raised 100 bushels
of oats by sowing good seed and pre-
pairing the land in the fall.
Must Raise Car Lots.
What Other Crops Shall the Small
Farmer Crow" was then taken UP by
E. B. Hoagland, manager Of the produce
exchange A good point made was that
farmers should not try to grow other
crops if they are going to specialize in
truck raising, because the proper at
tention cannot very well be given to
both. To make profit here in truck
ing, it is necessary to be Independent
of the limited local market and raise
produce in carload lots. 1t is essential
too not to depend solely upon high
market price for the profit. but to
strive to reduce the cost of production
as we'll He read a schedule comparing
the prices paid the farmer in Colorado
and the prices charged the consumer,
showing that there, as in other places,
the middleman makes more than the
one who raises the crops.
A Newcomers Experiences.
c. E. Locke gave an account Of the
successes and failures he has had in
raising vegetables. 1t was a valuable
report in that it was practically the ex-
perience Of all newcomers in the Rio
Grande valley. BY persevering, he has
succeeded in raising as much as $4,000
pounds of Denia onions per acre. and
this year the returns on cantaloupes
brought $3.50 an acre above the actual
cost of production. He made failures
growing celery, cauliflower, and let
tuce, but was able to raise large guam
titles of cabbage. In setting out onion
seedlings. Mr.. Locke got best results by
having the ground loose and dry, mark
ing off shallow burrows and spacing
the onions in them, then irrigating
an early session at the Agricultural
be given the station staff and the do
strate the nature of the work being
done to further the interests of rural
life. AS soon as funds are available. it
~