The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1916-02-17
MARQUIS WHEAT GOOD
FOR THE NORTHWEST
(By Prof. Thomas Shaw,

(By Prof. Thomas Shawl
That wheat has done so very we'll
in the American Northwest since it's
Introduction that the farmers in
those areas should give much heed
to the claims made for it. It first
came prominently into public notice
at the Dry Farming Congress held
at Lethbridge, Alta, Canada. in
1912. 1t excelled all other varieties
shown, both in yield and quality,
and was awarded highest honors at
the exhibit held in connection with
the Congress. Since that time it
has been grown in various areas in
the northwestern states, and the re-
suits obtained have generally been
of a fratifying character.
1t has been grown under the di-
rection of the writer in various plac-
es since that time, and some OF the
results obtained should prove in
teresting. The work was conducted
more especially under the direct SUI
pervision of my assistant. Mr.. E. A.
Wilson. 1t was grown at Elgin, N.
d., in 1913, 1914 and 1915, and also
some other places. In 1913 the yield
on the Elgin Demonstration farm
was 10 bushels while the average
from other wheat in the vicinity was
bushels. In 1914 the yield at Ell
gin was 33 bushels against II of
Blue Stem grown under similar con-
di ions. All the Marquis grown on
the experiment farm at Elgtn in
1914 was sown on other station
farms in 1915 or sold for sect to
farmers in that part of Dakota.
In 1915 at Elgin the yield was
SO bushels against % of Blue Stem.
At Halliday and Golden Valley the
yields were "A and 81 bushels, re-
spectively, from the MARQUIS. The
nineteen farmers near Elgin OBJ
tanned an average of 10 bushels in
1918. against an average of ID and
. of Blue Stem and Red Fife, re-
spectively. The great value of this
wheat viewed from the standpoint
Of yield is not to be questioned.
Good reports are also received re-
garding it's behavior in Montana and
places farther west. but these areas
are not so distinctly in the spring
wheat belt, hence the growth of Mar
quls is not so imDortant relatively
as in Western Dakota. Where we
tried it in Central Oregon, the re-
suits were encoura ging.
This wheat is characterized by
several excellent properties among
which are the following: Cd It
natures from 5 to 10 davs earlier
than any other wheat This tends
to protect it from the adverse influ-
ences of injury from hot winds and
drought. G. 1t does not shatter
| nearly so readily as Blue Stem or
Red Fife during the harvesting pro-
cess. This is TUE of it even when
over-ripe (3) The straw is short
er and sitter than that of Blue Stem
hence in a dry year it suffers less
from drought and in wet year it
suffers less from lodging In one
of our eXper' ments nea" Prinev11le
in Central Oregon in 1913, the yield
was of the variety usually grown
there, though produced under the
same conditions The summer that
year was abnormally dry at Prime
vile. (D 1t does not rust nearly
so readily as Blue Stem. This was
shown very clearly in 1915 in South
western Dakota, in crops grown un-
der similar conditions. CD It is
fully equal to if not sunerior to
the Blue Stem and Red Fife in it's
milling properties.
In dry areas the rate of seeding
should be about pecks per acre,
and it is very omportant that the
seed should be sown early and pre-
ferah'v on corn land. II sown on
stubble the best results will usually
ne obtained from fall plowed land.
IT spring ploWed, the work should
be done quite early and the land
should then be plowed On loose
soils the aim should be to SOW the
seed with a press drill, burrying it
to the depth of 2 or inches. Those
who intend to SOW this variety of
wheat should secure the seed in
ample time.