The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-11-10
EXPERIMENT FARM AT ABER.
DEEM
will Make Speciality Of Dry Farm
Problems
american Falls Press)

VA0S WAL WAAoS5tAOn0UAy PAONO W
be one OF the most important factors
in the future development and pros.
perity of southeastern Idaho is the
location of the agricultural expert.
ment station at Aberdeen, 13 mile:
north of American Falls.
The commercial club of Aberdeen
working in harmony with the town.
site company and interested citizens
made fight for 1t and won out ovet
strong competition, two other sites
being proposed, Downey and Alexan.
der. It was due to the untiring EFF.
forts OF the above named organiza-
tions that the land was secured and
money raised for the purpose of con-
structing the necessary buildings.
The land selected adjoins the Aber-
deem townsite on the northeast, has
beautiful building site overlooking
the town. The tract consists Of so
acres, which was sec red on a 10
years lease from the Messrs. Both
well, McConaughy and Sweet, and to
which the latter has agreed to add
another 20 acres II needed, this land
to be used rent free for the period of
Is years, when 1t will revert, together
with all improvements to the original
owners. The Aberdeen branch of the
Oregon Short Line cuts the tract in
two.
The buildings, four in number,
which are to be Immediately erected,
will cost in the neighborhood of 81.
500, and consist of modern five
room bungalow wired for electric
lighting and equipped with Perry
water system; a barn accommodating
four horses with loft and harness
room; machine shed, 16x42, and a
rodent proof seedhouse in which will
also be located the storage bins, sta
: ton Office and laboratory.
Work began Monday and the build
ings will be completed as rapidly as
a large constructing force can handle
it. A woven wire rabbit proof fence
will enclose the entire tract. This
station, which will be one of the most
important in the state, will co-operats
with the United tSates department
of agriculture in grain Investigations
in conjunction with the experimental
farm of the state university at Mos
COW. There are four other stations
in the state The Gooding station
consists of 40 acres of irrigated land
and Is operated in cooperation with
the United States department of irri-
cation investigations. !.
The Caldwell demonstration farm
has $40 acres, about seven-eights of
which is under the ditch. There is
is station at Clagstone in the north
ern part of the state. The Caldwell
and Clagstone stations are purely
state institutions.
At the Aberdeen station it is pro-
posed to carry on scientific investi-
cation along different lines of crop
production, making a speciality of
wheat production on the dry farm.
One of the first things to be worked
out will be logical crop rotation
for the dry farmer. The purpose of
this Is to prevent deterioration of the '
soil and at the same time overcome !
the necessity for summer following
of the soil every other year. About
three-fourths of the farm will be de-
voted to dry farming, the rest to
irrigation experiments and demonstra-
tions. Work on the irrigated land
will consist of variety testing, crop
cultivation, and crop rotation, with
the various products adaptable to this
section of the country. 1t is propos-
ed to take up the potato industry
extensively as the soil in this local
ity is we'll adopted to the growing
of this crop. Alfalfa seed production
upon a commercial scale will also re-
ceive attention. The best; results SO
far have been secured when the seed
are sown in rows and light seeding
is practiced. Careful handling OF the
water is absolutely essential in the
successful cultivation OF the alfalfa
seed crop.
The entire tract will be cleared and
plowed this fall. A few spring grains
will be planted next season and the
balance of the ground summer fal-
lowed. In the fall the various win
ter grains will be planted for compar-
alive tests.
Superintendent L. G. Aichers. for
merly of the Caldwell demonstration
farm, is here in charge of the work
and after spending short vacation
in Mo In n |