Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1911-01-27
y Small Grains
for Montana.
BY Alfred Atkinson, Montana
Experiment Station.

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From the splendid conditions pres.
eGt, It is evident that nature intended
Montana farmers to devote themselves
irrigated valleys have long been ia.
NOUS for the high quality of the oats
aud wheat, and the marked superiority
a. the barley produced. While we
may not have thought of the reasons
for this, a glance at conditions as We
ina them indicates an ideal state for
enc production OF these crops. The
climatic conditions prevailing over
most of the state are such as to meet,
IN an almost perfect way, the growth
demands of the small grains.
In the first place, the soils are rich,
Having never been leached by heavy
rainfall through the centuries past.
The days are bright and warm, with
many hours OF strong sunshine. While
this condition is frequently overlooked,
yet strong, active growth demands sun.
sh1ne, and the records show larger
Number of hours of sunshine during
the. growth period in this state than in
most other communities. A third con
dltion. which is very favorable, is the
cool nights which prevail through the
summer This insures against too
rapid growth and the imperfect filling
Of the kernels. All things considered,
Indications point to the fact that the
state of Montana is as strictly and
peculiarly fitted for the production Of
small grains as the section Of the SO
called Corn Belt" is fitted for the
production Of that crop.
For the irrigated farmer, certain
kinds Of grain have shown themselves
to- be better adapted for profitable
growth than some Of the other kinds.
While wheat is not so largely grown
~ oats and barley. yet We find farmers
In every community raising certain
acreage OF this crop each season. The
observations of farmers and the tests
made by the experiment station sug.
GeSt such varieties as the Spring Club
and, the Stanley. which are two soft
white kinds, or the Red Fife, which is
T. hard bread making strain, as
amongst the good varities While
there might be other varieties peculiar
". fitted to some Of the localities. yet
we. believe these are standard kinds
The excellence Of Montana's oats is
oVeTywhere conceded and certain va
rieties have come to be we'll known
through the state. Among these are
the Banne. and Swedish Select va.
rieties. which have shown themselves
tor be Of high quality and very profit.
able in yielding ability. An interest.
ing feature regarding Montana grown
oats is the small percentage of hui!
which they carry.
The average hull content of Amer.
lean grown oats is about 30 per cent,
while the average content of Montana
varieties is about % per cent. This
means that there is five pounds less
pounds more of valuable kernel mate
rial in every hundred pounds OF Mon
taua grown oats than there is in a
hundred pounds of the average oats
grown throughout the United States
Turning to the barley crop. farmers
and others remember the splendid
showing which Montana barleys have
made in the eXpositions where they
have been exhibited. The two-rOwed
barley is TIE highest yielder through
out the state, which is contrary to the
experience in many sections. Com
lnOhly the siN-rOwed kind eXcelS the
two.rowed in point OF yield but the
returns are very clearly the reverse
In this state. The New Zealand Chav.
about the best known and best yield
ing kind that has been introduced
aud generally distributed over the
state. It came originally from New
Zaaland and is now rather widely
grown. Fer the irrigated farmer. who
desires to produce feed. the hulless
kicds. such as the Guy Maybe, are
worth consideration. While they have
no brewing value, they have a high
Yield and Il high feeding value.
The kinds Of grain above men
0onel are commonly rather long sea
d0n nds and are not so well adapted
dry farm as to the irrigated
qecti The dry farmer does we'll to
.troElbe early maturing varieties. In
44&H. macaroni variety. such as
Kubanka, is strong growing and
My maturing. In oats. tie Sixty
by and AhersOn kinds have shown
themselves to be superior to the long
Sg season varieties. In barley. huliess
v2riqI e. such as White Hulless CT