The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-09-01
SUPERINTENDENT ADVISES ON
ON DRY FARM FORAGE CROPS

w
In our Investigations of local con-
ditions among the farms of Bingham
county, trying to find the best kinds
of forage grasses for pastures on dry
farms and irrigated lands, we appeal
ed to Superintendent w. H. Hoch-
baum, of the agricultural agents Of
Idaho, anu received the following
letter:
with reference to your inquiry
of the sixteenth, answer to which has
been delayed in my absence from
Boise, permit me to reply as follows:
81 have just come from the dry
farming districts of Fremont and
Power counties and will say that the
mustard problem is indeed a serious
me-. We have no recipe, however,
that will affect a cure except the fol-
lowing:
LARGE quantities Of everyone
working together to control this.
This is essentially a community
problem, and until the people of a
community recognize it as such, and
get together to work it out, we can
lOJ h1CCL IL ouSSCool u1iy' hAo"
of a farmer In Power county who lost
a $4,000 grain crop because of must
ard that had blown in from his neigh
boris fields. The people will have to
get together and fight this together.
/ In both these counties the county
agents have started campaigns along
these lines and they hope to arouse
the people to recognize the serious
ness of the situation and to meet it
together.
"Incldentally, the following mea-
sures are recommended:
ITO pull the weeds along fence
rows and ditch banks and the edges
of fields before they get a start. To.
NOW these places and vacant fields
in late summer while the mustard is
still green and thus prevent that crop
from blowing over the country. Since
a single mustard plant may scatter
1900, 900 seeds, the Importance of
not letting the thing get a start is
readily seen.
"To plant clean seed.
"To disk summer fallow before
planting in order to try to terminate
the mustard seed, this later to be
narrowed out.
ITO harrow fall grain in the
! spring.
"All this means work and every
body working together. 1t can be
controlled in spring grain, but the
summer fallow must be Jul standby
IN most years and more farmers
should adopt this practice, rather
than to resort largely to spring plant
ing.
81 think a great deal of good can
be done in a community where the
Deonle will all get together now and
make war on this. You cannot legis-
late the weed out of existence. BY
cutting and burning the mature
weeds now it will save a lot of fields
next summer. This should be follow
ed by pulling and keeping roads and
fences clean next spring.
with reference to a dry-land for
age crop, l want to refer you to Mr..
L, C. Aicher superintendent of the
Aberdeen farm. He should know bet
ter than | what crops are best suited
for your locality. Where we have
county agents these are having some
successful demonstrations in growing
SW66C clover dllu pc~dS-dlN-Odto' AO
latter should make you a good hay
crop, if the peas are sown real early
in spring, preferably on summer fall
low, and the oats sown two weeks
later. Winter vetch and wheat soWn
together in the fall on summer falloW
is another good combination.
Horse beans make a good grain
crop for hogs where you have a good
moisture supply early in spring.
"Shdan grass is fairly successful
in some localities. However,, this is
a tender plant, cannot be planted un-
til after corr planting time, and does
indifferently we'll at attitudes above
$500 feet. Where it is successful
it is a fine crop, but only local trials
will prove it's worth in any one sec
ton.
MAY I ask what the status of the
county agent movement in Bingham
county is? 1t would be fine If your
people could get together and employ
a county agent this fall to take up
these and other problems. Let me
know, if you please, how I may be
of help in bringing this before your
people.
MANY thanks for your kind inter
est. I hope that the above will be
of some help.
every truly yours,