The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1912-01-30

amount OF digestible protein from an
acre OF alfalfa. Common sense, Of
course, told him that the leaves of the
plant were richer in protein than the
stems-but he put it to the laboratory
test 'and determined the relative per-
centages. Chemical analysis showed
that, though the leaves were richer In
food value, even the stems or the
STRAIN carried surprising amount of
protein-generally wasted by ordinary
methods Of feeding. This cleared the
ground for the next step-tO develop
by selection strain of plant that
would produce a larger percentage of
leaves and smaller percentage OF
coarse stem-and incidentally, if pos
sible, to build up the percentage OF
protein in the coarse stems them
selves. In his effort to develop a
strain having maximum of protein
and minimum of woody fiber, he
found himself confronted with dis
tinct physical obstacle. Some of the
varieties having the highest protein
percentage in proportion to woody
fiber were "trailers," that spread over
the ground like purslane and could not
be harvested and handled In practi-
cal, commercial way These had to be
discarded as working materials in his
breeding work-Or at least to be used
with great caution for the habit of
sturdy, outstanding growth must be
fixed characteristics of the strain to
be developed
Naturally the greater the number of
straws springing from one root, the
finer the quality Of the straws. There
fore his selection took the line of find
ing roots having the largest number of
straws springing from one bulb, but
being of upright growth.
Il Very early in his experiments, Doc
tor Sudduth found that alfalfa, being a
hybrid, would not always breed true
seed. He has, therefore, adopted the
vegetative form CT propagation. For
tunately the alfalfa plant grows from
slipping" as readily as the verbena.
The tips OF branches are cut off at a
length Of three inches, tied in bundles
and put into coldframe containing
wet sand. From these frames they are
transplanted to the nursery, which
now contains one hundred acres of
/ breeding and experimental alfalfa
| plants, set in rows thirty inches apart,
with the hills two feet apart in the
| row. ~
| Cutting for Maximum Protein Yield.
Multiplied experiments along this
line in the propagation beds gave gra-
tifying results as determined by the
laboratory tests, but these pushed him
on to another problem-that of the
time of harvesting. Here his findings
ran counter to the most commonly ac-
cepted traditions. The greatest amount
OF protein to the acre and to the
smallest tonnage of hay was the OBJ
| ject at which he was aiming, and his
! laboratory tests clearly established the
| fact that this was secured by cutting
| before the plants were in bud-Dot,
as common practice has it, after the
blossoms have appeared.
I'VE cut our fields on this basis,'
declares Doctor Sudduth, land get a
| maximum OF foliage-and therefore,
of protein-and a minimum of woody
fiber. 1t pays in commercial results
OF course it involves at least one ex-
ira cutting year over the old plan
My tests apply only to alfalfa grown
! under dry farming 1t is safe, how
ever, to make the sweeping statement
that alfalfa is everywhere cut too late,
as a rule, to get the maximum of pro-
teln and the minimum of woody fiber
speaking for the humid sections, Joe
Wings rule is: Cut when small new
sprouts appear near the surface of the
ground Certainly that is safer rule
than to wait for the appearance of
blossoms. Only thorough laboratory
test, however, can determine this
problem for the humid and irrigated
sections
The next vital phase of alfalfa grow
ing that forced itself upon the atten-
ton of this tireless investigator, in
his determination to brush away ira
ditions and establish the alfalfa farm
upon the basis of "a factory for the
production of digestible protein in for
age FORM was that Of the number of
plants to the acre for the best results.
One of the greatest mistakes of the
average FARMER, contends Doctor
Sudduth, lis that of overseeing. And
this mistake is especially fatal to the
highest success in dry-farm regions,
or in any region where the rainfall is |
less than reliably abundant-except,
OF course, where there is irrigation.
Heavy seeding for any kind of grain
or alfalfa has no place in successful |
dry farming. The heaviest yields of |
wheat | have ever had were secured
by using only thirty pounds of seed to
the acre as against the ordinary por-
ton of seventy-five pounds; in fact,
many farmers use a hundred pounds. |
The English practice calls for two to |
three bushels to the acre, which |
means one hundred and twenty to one
hundred and eighty pounds My crop
or Turkey Red wheat on two hundred !
and fifty acres was seeded with only |
thirty pound to the acre and it was the |
best produced anywhere in my local. |
ity.