The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1916-04-14
FAVORS WINTER EMMER
Brought Forth by Professor Of
Wyoming University.
Proved to BE Greatest Drought esist.
Ing Grain Yet DIscovered--Yield
Of Ssventy-Five Bushels to
Acre Not Unusual.


The development of the arid regions
has received a great deal of attention
In recent years. DRY land" farming,
or scientific farming, has made giant
strides through the assistance of our
government and state institutions.
Volumes have been written on this
subject and patient, enduring home
steaders have suffered hardships in
testing out new ideas and principles
In dry farming"
A few years ago q professor in a
Wyoming university broke away from
II possible, the problem of "dry farm
ing" or farming without irrigation,
writes H. E. Frey In the Great Divide
His experiments brought forth several
very hardy grains, but one grain In
particular proved to be wonder. He
named 1t winter emmer.
This grain has been found growing
wild on the hills around Palestine, one
OF the driest sections on earth. Pro-
lessor Buffum became interested and
sent for a small amount of seed. He
planted this seed on his experiment
farm in the Big Horn basin. From a
peck of planted seed only seventy-f1ve
heads grew and matured. This he
carefully picked and replanted. From
these original seventy-five heads in a
few years thousands Of bushels of the
grain was grown In Wyoming and Col
orado
This winter emmer has proved to be
the greatest drought-resisting grain
yet discovered Seventy-five bushels
to an acre without irrigation Is moth
ing unusual. The average yield on
dry land is more than forty bushels to
the acre. Under irrigation authentic
yields Of $50 bushels to the acre have
been grown.
The farmers who raised it were en-
thusiastic In its praise. 1t proved to
be a valuable stock food. Sheep,
horses and hogs did very well on it.
1t has been declared to be equal to
corn.
But, owing to the fact that it was en-
tirely new and only a few farmers
were familiar with it, those who raised
1t found no ready market. This was
overcome by company which, after
three years Of experimenting, built
factory for manufacturing 1t into
breakfast food and various other prod
ucts. This has created a good market
where the farmers get $3.50 a hun
dred for the grain.
One of the principal objections to
this grain has been the stiff black
beard, which makes it bad to handle.
The boards, in threshing, get in the
machinery and screens and cause con-
siderable annoyance. And then, also,
they get in the hired mans shirt, itch
ing and scratching and son. etimes COM
pei him to change his shirt before re-
firing.
This objection has also been over
come by the Wizard OF the West"
the Burbank Of the Grains" Prof B.
c. Buffum, who has bred the boards
of, and we now have what is known
as Buffum's Black Beardless Winter
Emmer. This grain retains all the
hardy qualities of its bearded parent,
but Is far more pleasant to handle.
Several thousand acres of this grain
ls now growing in this state and wy
oming, under contract Of so much q
hundred pounds.
One farmer at Bennett, Colo, where
he had raised successful crops Of win
ter emmer, states that 1t Is an ideal
crop for dry farmers" In that 1t gives
them winter grain that is superior
to oats or barley and can be far more
successfully raised.