The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1912-02-23
FORAGE CROPS FOR
WESTERN FARMERS
by L. A. MERRILL, Director Exten-
sion Division Utah Agricultural
College.


onstration Train Lecture.
In discussing the subject OF forage
crops, / propose doing 1t in the widest
sense. including any food suitable fol-
horses, cattle. sheep or swine. The
subject win include particularly pas
ture grasses, solling and fodder crops
and 81 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 70
a discussion OF those crops that have
been tested al our experiment sta
lions and by successful farmers and
found TO be OF practical value, since
In the grass family alone there are
moro than $500 species,
AS read the history or agriculture
OF this and other nations, ! am I'm
pressed with the fact that the perma-
nens prosperity OF any country Is de-
pendent very largely upon the en-
phasls placed upon pastures and hay
crops Pastures feed mankind; they
are the bedrock OF civilization. There
Ii always something ailuring 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 on man.
Although we live IN a comparative
" 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 a system OF farming
that includes pastures and grasses
and 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 ALSO
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 Ia Mt least maintained, and b,
Wise system OF husbandry, even In
creased year by year.
In this western country whore on
farmers have turned their attentio
20 the production OF grasses and fol
age crops, they have been scarcel
able 20 place a limit on the number o
live stock they are able 10 maintain
and amount OF live stock products
they are able TO produce
Our irrigated lands are particular,
adapted TO grass for forage crop pro
ductlon. because OF the abundance o
those plant foods necessary for thei
growth, particularly lime, potash anC
phosphates. and because OF the assur
ance OF supplying moisture Just at th'
time needed. II il encouraging to tn,
western farmer TO realize that Will
the adoption OF proper system o
cropping, one acre here can be mad,
to do the work OF three OF four acre.
In the middle west, or even fifteen o.
twenty acres In the southwest.
have seen three cows pasture on
single acre OF upland pasture In Utal
from May until November, and In TIL
NtReN AANAfh 'lhnNlNNh tikhN ~ IN htfNHS
sary to have from three to four acre,
to pasture one COW for the SANE
length OF time, Our pastures neeC
never become dry or parched. but un
der a proper system can be kept con
stantly green and succulent
Land for the Pasture.
II Is a mistaken notion to suppos
that the poorest part OF the farm
should be given over to pastures
Often times the rocky hill side 4
used for this purpose, and we too FIRE
quently fail TO take into account tn
fact that the pasture can be made tn
most important part of the farm 70
this reason tho best and most cor
yepient part of the farm will in
good farm practice. be selected 70
this purpose. The land should b
well drained. II not, we must Sc
that II Is tiled. or open bitches prC
vided, so that stagnant water may b
drawn away We should appreciat
the fact that In preparing the Ian
for the pasture grasses we are prs
pairing 1t for number OF year.
II is important, therefore, tha
considerable attention be paid /
proper leveltng so that there ma
be no difficulties in the way
irrigation. Then. too, the land shout
be prepared some time before we e,
pect to do the seeding. The soil mu!
settle together so that the props
functions of the soil can be carrie
on. The seed bed must be extremel
fine, When one examines the seed
any of our grasses or cloyers. ii mu
be readily understood that there
very little nourishment stored ava
and the young and tender plant mu
sooa begin to draw upon the soil f
It's nourishment.
Time Of Seeding.
In the east long experience h
shown that the fall IL the best tin
for seeding. Repeated experiment
here, however, have dsmonstrat