The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-06-03
CULTIVATION AND PRODUCTION
OF SPRING WHEAT.
In the Great Plains Area Climatic
Conditions the Great Factor--D5sk-
cd Corn Ground Most Profitable.

ed Corn Ground Most Profitable.
Washington, d. c., May 20. At the
10 more northern field stations of the
Great Plains area spring wheat has
been grown at a profit by at least
one method OF cultivation, but has
shown an actual loss at the four
southern field stations located at Hays
and Garden City, Kansas; Dalhart and
Amarillo, Texas. Spring wheat as a
commercial crop Is important in the
states of North Dakota, Washington.
Nebraska, Montana, Iowa, Colorado. Ida
no, Oregon, wisconsin. Utah, Kansas,
New Mexico and Nevada In the order
named. The Great Plains area, ia
miliarly known as a semi-arid region,
Is therefore an important contributor
to the spring wheat acreage OF this
country. The results of experiments
at IA stations in this area are publish
ed in the new United States Depart
ment of Agriculture Bulletin No. 214.
"Spring Wheat in the Great Plains
Area, Relation OF Cultural Methods to
Production In covering such a vast
territory deductions must necessarily
be general and cover relatively few
points 1t is strongly brought out in
the bulletin. however, that cultivation
Is not an unfailing solution, in this
semi-arid region. of the problem OF
drought. Cultivation win doubtless al
leviate drought to some extent, but
can never fully overcome 1t. These
field stations are located In the west
ern parts OF North Dakota, South Da-
kota Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and
Texas. and the eastern portions of
Montana, Wyoming. Colorado and New
Mexico
Extensive tests comparing the average
yields at IA stations for the same
years show that there was practically
no gain In yield n ground that was
fall plowed. following corn and oats,
over ground which was plowed In the
spring. The small difference in cost
OF the two methods of preparing the
land makes the relative profits and
losses from them follow closely the
differences In yields.
The greatest profit per acre at those
those stations where II has been pos
sibie 10 raise wheat at a profit, was
made on disked corn ground. This was
made possible by the consistently high
yields together with the low cost OF
preparing the land for wheat. or cours
the realization of these profits de-
Ponds to certain extent on the sue
cessful growth OF corn as a general
farm crop in competition with other
crops. It also should be kept in mind
that at all the stations the corn
land was kept free from weeds, and
that II weeds are allowed to develop
in the corn. as good results can not
be expected.
| Subsoiling has proved OF doubtful util-
ity as a means of increase in Yields.
Although summer tillage has given
the highest average yields Of any
method under trial. it requires the
4 use OF land two years to produce a
crop. and an extra amount of cultiva-
ton to keep 1t free from weeds in the
fallow year. Consequently. II has cost
more to grow wheat under the til
lage method than any other method
on trial except green manuring The
latter mode Of cultivation resembles the
fallow In that 1t also requires the
use of land for two years for the pro-
duction OF one harvested crop. with
the added expense Of seed and seeding
There Is saving In cultivation, how
ever. during the spring while the greer
manuring crop Is growing. but this il
offset by the necessity of blowing L
turn the crop under. and Is not srffi-
cient to make up the cost Of seed and
seeding. It was found that the yields
! Of spring wheat grown on green manure