Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1912-04-19

crops, ! propose doing it In the widest
sense. including any food suitable for
horses. cattle. sheep or swine The
subject viii include particularly pas
ture grasses. soiling and fodder crops.
and X is my purpose % particularly
emphasize the Importance Of some d
the crops which our Western farmers
are not familiar with. We shall nee
essarily have to limit ourselves 70
discussion Of those crops that have
been tested at our Experiment Stations
and by successful farmers and found 10
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, I am i'm
pressed with the fact that the perman-
ent prosperity Of any country is depend
ent very largely upon the emphasis
placed upon pastures and hay crops
Pastures feed mankind; they are the
bedrock Of civilization. There is al
ways something anuring in an agri
culture based specially on permanent
things like meadow and pastures, that
do not let fields wash Or erode. that
maintain and build fertility. that make
possible the higher types Of agriculture
milk for babies. wool FOR soft garments
or horses for the use Of man.
Although We live in a comparatively
new section Of country, our agriculture
in these mountain valleys is already
advanced far enough 10 give q number
Of examples showing the difference be-
tween a system Of farming that includes
pastures and grasses. and q system
-f- ~ 7rrf1 Of
beets. potatoes. grain or fruit crops
only. In the growing Of these crops
We are continually taking from the soil
{ those elements OF fertility that are alb
: soluteIv essential for the growth Of
plants. and without which soil is worth
I less In the growing Of pasturage or
for hay when led upon the farm. We
return To the soil those elements Of fer
tility and the supply j. al least main
tanned and by a wise system Of hus-
bandry. even increased year by year
In this Western country where our
farmers have turned their attention 70
the production Of grasses and forage
crops. they have been scarcely able 10
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 10 grass or forage crop produc-
ion. because Of 1.-THE abundance Of those
plant foods necessary for their growth.
particularly lime potash and phosphates,
and because Of the assurance Of supply
ing moisture just al the time needed
Il is encouraging TO the Western farm
er to realize that with the adoption OF
a proper system Of cropping. one acre
here can be made to do the work Of
three OF four acres in the Middle West.
or even fifteen OF twenty acres in the
Southwest. I have seen three cows pas
ture on a single acre OF upland pasture
in Utah from May until November, and
in the East have observed that it is
necessary 10 have from three 10 four
acres 10 pasture one COW for the same
length OF time Our pastures need never
become dry OF parched. but under 8
proper system can be kept constantly
green and succulent-
Land for the Pasture.
It is a mistaken notion 70 suppose that
the poorest part Of the farm should be
given over 10 pastures Often times
the rocky hill side is used for this pur-
pose. aud We too frequently 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 convenient part Of the farm
will in a good farm practice. be select
ed for this purpose The land should De
well drained Il not. we must see that
il is tiled. or open bitches provided so
that staguant water may be drawn
away. We should appreciate the fact
that in preparing the land for the pas
mari ms for =
number OF years It Is important. there
fore. that considerable attention be paid
TO proper leveIng 50 that there may
be no difficulties in the way OF irriga-
ton Then. too. the land should be
prepared some time before We expect
10 do the seeding The soil must settle
together 50 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 OF clovers. il must be readily
understood that there is very little
nourishment stored away. and the young
and tender plant must soon begin 20
draw upon the soil for its nourshment-
Time Of Seeding.
In the East long experience has shown
that the fau is the best time for seed
ing. Repeated experiments here. how
ever. have demonstrated that on irri-
gated Land we secure best results by
spring seeding. II the land is prepar-
ed the previous fall the seed can be
sown very early in the spring. and The
plants will become well established be-
fore the hot dry weather begins 1t
should be remembered that one can
hardly SOW grass seed too early in the
spring
The Mixture TO Select
Many Of the grass mixtures given
ont bv the seed houses are silly con-
giomsrations. some q which are made I
up OF few good varieties and then
poor ones thrown in simply to throw
chaff into the eye q the customer
However. there are many advantages /
in mixtures rather than single seed /
some grasses start very early in the
spring, while Others do not begin until I
late in the summer. and there are ,
scarcely two grasses that have the
same time OF growth. BY combining /