The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1914-02-20
Washington, ID G, Feb 1e, 1914.

Washington, D. G., Feb IS, 1914
Better varieties aGd ST.. G al reqnIret
for crop improyems at Ia and aro1nd
South Dakota :, here, .he usa'
cropss''e or D tn ahiss 'ar:=. ot
wealth. There Is -o~ .r to3 n, 2l
land farmea by sb1rt rm rest L.
who care little about crop ar SOL i'm
provement, an1 il rests l3r sia = ill
the llnl oWIetS vhs nar u iot toe
yeiI-'s per acre are to he iacr asa Is
These ar, some OF tho cp.c!isl9oS ui
the scientists who have been study
ing conditions for a decade at the
South Dakota Exp rimeni Statlon OF
the Department Of Agricpisare The
information also ronIc te q l-=ct
lnt r-,f IL N~,h D-s7.4, -3T &
Montana
A!aPt-d pari ties arc very impory-
ant III clImatr like that of South
Dakota, and therefore, as result of
It's Investigations, the Department of
Agriculture recommends the follow
ing varieties of wheat, oats and bar.
le, for that State:
.U Wheat.
Kubanda durum &C. l. No. l440),
hayne Rlue,tem (Minn. No. l69),
Red Fife &C. [ No. 30sl), and Fife
(Minn, No 1861.
(2) Oats.
Swedish Select {C. l. No. 134) and
Sixty Day &C. l. No. 1861.
(O Barley,
(a) For the eastern district:
Manchuria (Minn. No. 1867 and
Odessa &C. /. No 1927
(b) For the central district:
Hannchen C. | No 53D.
(c) For the western district:
Gatami &C.. NJ 575), Mariout
C.. | No Z6D, and related var.
ieties.
To obtain the fullest rsturn from
the use OF these varieties the seed
must be kept pure and up to high
standard Of quality.
The production of wheat during
the past decade has not increased in
South Dakota, although that of oats
and barley has doubled. There is
usually sufficient moisture to produce
these crops, the frequennt periods of
high evaporation do considerable
damage, particularly in the central
and western portions of the State.
The soils of South Dakota east of the
Missouri River are for the most part
we'll suited to cereal production.
Those west of that river are extreme
ly variable, though some are of value
for grain growing.
Although the figures showing the
increase pf oats and barley are i'm.
pressive, it does not imply that there
is no further opportunity for improve
ment In South Dakota. ! he acre
yields have not increased duriug the
decade where the total production
doubled. The acre yields has re-
manned about the same, fluctuating
according to the quantity and distri.
button Of the rainfall. Future in
crease in production however must
come largely through increased yields
per acre, for there is relatively little
new land available for the profit, BILE
production of these crops. The pres
ent average yields are:
Wheat, IL bushels per acre; oats
26.3 bushels per acre; barley, 23.s
bushels per acre.
These are not enough. Production
must be increased to keep pace with
the constant increase of population.
La such a condition the main requir
ments for crop Improvement are the
following:
0) Better varieties.
(2) Better seed.
(3) Better rotations.
(4) Better soil treatment.
(h) Better tillage and cultivation.
(69 Better economic conditions.
The first two essetials mentioned =
better varieties and better seed ARE
thoroughly discussed in the new pub
LEGATION Of the Department of Agri
culture entitled: Experiments with
Wheat, Cats and Barley in South
Dakota. The new pamphlet give,
the details of the work at the Soutl
~ q.