Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1912-02-23
FORAGE CROPS FOR
WESTERN FARMERS
BY L. A. MERRILL, Director Extern
sion Division Utah Agricultural
College.

Oregon Short Line Railroad Dem
onstration Train Lecture.
In discussing the subject of forage
crops, l propose doing it in the widest
sense, including any food suitable for
horses, cattle. sheep or swine. The
subject will include particularly pas
ture grasses. soiling and fodder crops,
and 1t is my purpose to particularly
emphasize the Importance of some of
the crops with which our western
farmers are not familiar We shall
necessarily have TO limit ourselves to
discussion of those crops that have
been tested at our experiment sta
tions and by successful farmers and
found to be of practical value, since
in the grass family alone there are
more than $500 species.
AS I read the history of agriculture
of this and other nations, l am inn
pressed with the fact that the perma-
nent prosperity of any country is de-
pendent very largely upon the en-
phasis placed upon pastures and hay
ClOpS. leeu L06y
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 use of man.
Although we live in a comparative
ly new section of country, our agri-
culture in these mountain valleys is
already advanced far enough to give
number of examples showing the
difference between system of farming
that includes pastures and grasses
and a system that involves the
production of sugar beets, pota-
toes, grain or fruit crops only. In
the growing of these crops we are
continually taking from the soil those
elements of fertility that are abso-
lutely essential for the growth of
plants, and without which the soil is
worthless. In the growing of grasses
for pasturage 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
a wise system of husbandry, even in
creased year by year.
In this western country where 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 to maintain,
and amount of live stock products
they are able to produce.
Our irrigated lands are particularly
adapted to grass for forage crop pro-
duetion, because of the abundance of
those plant foods necessary for their
growth. particularly lime, potash and
phosphates, and because of the assur-
ance of supplying moisture just at the
time needed 1t is encouraging to the
western farmer to realize that with
the adoption of proper system of
cropping. one acre here can be made
to do the work of three or four acres
In the middle west, or even fifteen or
twenty acres in the southwest.
have seen three cows pasture on
single acre of upland pasture in Utah
from May until November, and in the
east have observed that 1t Is neces-
Bary to have from three to four acres
to pasture one COW for the same
length of time. Our pastures need
never become dry or parched. but I'M
der proper system can be kept con-
stantly green and succulent.
Land for the Pasture.
It is a mistaken notion to suppose
that the poorest part of the farm
should be given over IN pastures.
Often times the rocky hill side Is
used for this purpose, and we too fire.
quently fail to take into account the
fact that the pasture can be made the
most important part OF the farm For
this reason the best and most con-
venient part of the farm will in a
good farm practice. be selected for
this purpose. The land should be
well drained. II not, we must see
that 1t is tiled. or open bitches pro-
vided, SO that stagnant water may be
drawn away. We should appreciate
the fact that in preparing the land
for the pasture grasses we are pre-
pairing 1t for number of years.
1t is important, therefore, that
considerable attention be paid to
proper leveling SO that there may
be no difficulties in the way of
irrigation. Then. too, the land should
be prepared some time before we ex-
pect to do the seeding. The soil must
settle together SO that the proper
functions of the soil can be carried
on. The seed bed must be extremely
fine. When one examines the seed of
any of our grasses or clovers II must
be readily understood that there is
very little nourishment stored away.
and the young and tender plant must
soon begin to draw upon the soil for
its nourishment.
Time of Seeding.
In the east long experience has
shown that the fall is the best time
for seeding. Repeated experiments
here. however, have demonstrated