Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1915-01-08

tI on IhbNS 10 pace NHt smut SIbltS
at the bottom of the furrow.
Ex-senator r. c. McCroskey, re-
gent OF the State College and one OF
the oldest and most scientific whea,
growers in the Northwest, led the ex-
perience meeting, telling OF expert
ments in terminating tests and Of
efforts he is making to produce a
smut resistant strain OF wheat
Many farmers took part in the eN-
Iperience meeting and divers methods
used in the attempt to control the
smut pest were enumerated. but the
consensus of opinion was that the
isolution is not yet at hand, although
big strides have been made.
! Red Russian SHUTS Most
In outlining briefly the various
experiments at the college station in
connection with the smut question.
Or Ira d. Cardiff director of the
experiment station. presented figures
based on scientific experimentation
which disprore he more or less gen
eral belief that the hybrid wheats
smut most easily. The experiments
were conducted 10 determine the
smut resistance OF the different rarl-
cites. and paintings Of thoroughly
smutted wheat were made al two diff
ferent times. In these experiments
| the Red Russian wheat showed the
greatest percentage of smutted
plants with fortyroId second, and
the various hybrids showed the low
est percentage of smutted plants
Five different and distinct phases
OF smut experimentation are being
now carried on at the station farm.
these being seed treatment. variety
testing, soil sanitation. mechanics Of
infection of the wheat plant itself
and the life OF the smut during the
growing period Of the wheat. The
experiments indicate that the COM
mercial threshiug machine is the
direct result of the loss in vitality OF
wheat that is treated for smut. mum
eTous experiments showing that hand
threshed grain and wheat threshed
by the college separator. which is
run at low rate of speed is much
less liable to have its vitality killed
by the treatment than the wheat
threshed by the fast separators.
which crack the kernel. CONNER
cial machines destroy fully 30 per
cent of the termination.
Boosts Diversified Farming
A loyal booster for diversified
farming is A. L. Rogers. Waterville
capitalist who on Wednesday even
ing addressed the convention on the
influence of the present high grain
prices on diversified farming. The
salvation Of Eastern WASHINGTON ."
said Mr., Rogers, lies in more peo-
pie smaller farms and more scien-
tific farming methods Nine-tenths
Of the present day farmers are sim
ply land pirates and soil robbers, not
constructive farmers. Mr. Rogers
suggested that $50 wheat might
bring more poverty than prosperity,
in that it will discourage diversified
farming. He Contended that the con
dltions which give rise TO the general
feeling that 1915 prices will be rec
ord-breakers are greatly exaggerated
and in some instances not founded
solely on fact, and voiced the opinion
that only reverses or other condi-
tons which will do away with the
one-crop system will insure perman-
ent prosperity to the American
farmer American agricultural
methods are entirely ont of economic
balance and the farmers must learn
scientific farming to get the best
possible returns from the soil, ac-
cording to the Waterville man.
Big Yields and Big Prices Hurt
Diversified Farming
Big yields and big prices sounded
the death knell OF diversified farm
ing in the Big Bend country in 1907,
after great strides had been made in
that direction during the preceding
three or four years The speaker
called attention TO the fact that every
bushel Of wheat raised takes "a cents
worth of fertility out of the soil. and
that this fertility must be treasured
| to insure permanency in agricul-
ture. the safest and surest method
being by rotation OF crops. Land
! only half farmed and farmed only
half of the time was branded by
/ MIR. Rogers as one OF the greatest
economic wastes. others being the
payment OF 4 y cents per bushel for
sacks, poor tillage and lax threshing
operations. He contended that the
present day farmer is entirely too
/ selfish. and that he must be brought