The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1912-02-23
CROPS FOR
WESTERN FARMERS
by L. A. MERRILL, Director ESten'
Zion Division uIah Agricultural
College.

oregon Short Line Railroad Dem
onstration Train Lecture.
In discussing the subject Of forage
crops. propose doing II in the widest
sense. including any food suitable for
horses. cattle. sheep or swine. Inc
subject will include particularly pas
ture grasses. soillng and fodder crops
and 81 10 my purpose 20 particularly
emphasize the importance OF some OF
tho crops with which our western
farmers are not familiar We shall
necessarily have 10 limit ourselves to
discussion OF those crops that have
been tested at our experiment sta
,lons and by successful farmers ana
found to be OF practical value. since
in tho grass family alone there are
more than $500 species.
As I read the history Of agriculture
OF this and other nations, ] am linz
pressed with the fact that the perma'
men, prosperity Of any country Is de-
pendent very largely upon tho en-
phasls placed upon pastures and hay
crops. Pastures feed mankind; they
are the bedrock Of civilization. There
is always something alluring In an
agriculture based specially on perma'
nent things like meadow and pas
lures, that do not let fields wash and
/ erode; that maintain and build fer.
| tility; that make possible the higher
/ types OF agriculture based on keeping
| animals. or making milk for babes,
wool for soft garments or horses for
| the uso OF man.
Although we live in comparative
~ new section Of country our agri.
culture In these mountain valleys In
already advanced far enough to give
u number Of examples showing tno
difference between a system Of farming
that includes pastures and grasses.
and n system that involves the
production OF sugar bcets. pota.
tees. grain or fruit crops only. In
the growing Of these crops we are
continually taking from the soil those
elements OF fertility that are ALSO
lutely essential for the growth OF
plants. and without which the soil Is
worthless. In the growing Of grasses
for pasturngc or for hay when fed
upon the farm, we return to the soil
those elements OF fertility and the
supply Is at least maintained. and by
wise system OF husbandry. even in.
creased year by year.
In this western country whore our
farmers have turned their attention
TO the production OF grasses and for
age crops. they have been scarcely
able TO place limit on the number OF
live stock they are able 10 maintain,
and amount OF live stock products
they are able TO produce.
Our irrigated lands are particularly
adapted 20 grass for forage crop pro
ductlon, because OF the abundance OF
those plant foods necessary for their
growth. particularly lime. potash and
phosphates and because OF the assur.
anco Of supplying moisture Just at the
time needed. II IN encouraging to tho
western farmer 90 realize that with
the adoption OF n proper system Of
cropping, one aero here can be made
to do the work OF three or four acres
In the middle west, or evon fifteen or
twenty acres In tho southwest. !
have seen three cows pasture on a
single acre OF upland pasture in Utah
from May until November. and In the
east have observed that II Ia neccs
sary TO have from three 10 four acres
10 pasture one COW for the same
length OF time. Our pastures need
never become dry or parched, but un,
der proper system can be keTt con
stantly green and succulent
Land for the Pasture.
II Is n mistaken notion TO suppose
That the poorest part OF the farm
should be given over 20 pastures
Often times tho rocky hill side Is
used for this purpose. and we too fire.
qucntly fail TO take into account the
fact that the pasture can be made the
most important part OF the far,.. Fol
this reason the best and most con
venient part OF the farm viii In .
good farm practice. be selected fol
this purpose. The land should be
well drained. II not, we must sec
that II ia tiled. or open bitches pro
vided, 80 that stagnant water may bt
drawn away We should appreciate
the fact that In preparing the lane
for tho pasture grasses we are pre
pairing Il for n number OF years
II IL important, therefore, tina
, considerable attention be paid 4
. proper leyelng so that there ma,
? W nv ulHlCullleh III inc way o
irrigation, Then, too, the land SHOULD
be prepared some time before wa *
, poet TO do the seeding. The soil mus
settle together so that the proper
functions OF the soil can be carried
on. Tho seed bed must be extremel,
| fine. When one examines the seed o
any OF our grasses or clovers, II mus
be readily understood that there Il
! very little nourlshment stored away
and the young and tender plant mus
soon begin to draw upon the soil fo
, Its nourlshment
, Time Of Seeding.
In the east long experience hai
shown that the fall IL tho best tim,
, for seeding Repeated experiment.
, here, however. have demonstrates