Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1916-08-11
STATE EXPERIMENTAL FARM
HAS MUCH OF INTEREST

this experiment in different plots
and each plot was sown with the
same amount of seed, six pecks to the
acre. The first plot in each trac'
shows the effect on yield Of seeC
wheat which was heavily smutted be
fore planting by being rolled ia smut
the seed on the second plot was
medium smutted, that on the third
only slightly smutted and the fourth
plot was planted to seed wheat which
had been treated for smut. While
the exact result of the tests will not
be known until the wheat is harvest
ed and the yield Of each plot ascer-
tanned, the casual observer can not
but note the great degree in which
the yield will be cut down by the
smutty plots. In the plot which was
heavily smutted it is hard to find a
good head of wheat, and tde per-
centage of smut heads decreases I'M
Ill in the rlot where the seed was
treated for smut there is hardly a
head of smut to be foun1 All the
seed was planted on the same day,
late in the fall.
Crop rotation experime nts, con-
Quoted to ascertain the effect of ro-
tation on smut in wheat which is
made a part of the rotation plan,
proves that this method will result
practically in the elimination Of
smut. Rotation experiments also
prove that summer following is I'M
necessary, and that just as good crops
of grain can be grown after potatoes,
corn or other crops as on summer
fallowed land Sixteen years of OBJ
servation of the difference in yield
due to the date of fall seeding indi-
Gates that the time of seeding has
little to do with the yield, other con-
ditions being equal.
Cooperative experiments are be-
ing conducted by the Washington,
and Maryland experiment
stations to ascertain the difference in
yield of the same variety of wheat
grown on the three stations. The
experiments here indicate that the
and Maryland wheats pro-
duce as good a yield when grown
here as when grown in the native
states.
Between 5000 and 1000 different
varieties of grain are included in the
comprehensive breeding experiments
and variety tests for yield, smut re-
sistance, milling quality, ETC., ETC.,
and these plots make a very interest
ing study for the farm visitor
Every head of grain in each of the
miniature plots is hand picked and
sorted and hand threshed, entailing
a great amount of work. 1t is in
these plots that the college has pro-
duced through hybridization for the
purpose of securing the good quail
ties of several varieties of wheat, it's
well known hybrid wheats, now used
extensively in all parts of the state
and noted for their excellent yield,
milling quality and adaptibility to
this particular climate.
A considerable acreage in one tract
is devoted entirely to investigations
of plant and fruit diseases, other
tracts to crop rotation experiments,
tillage experiments, tests of different
grain mixtures for forage, feed ex-
perrin ents, and many other lines of
investigation.
trip over the station farm at
once impresses the visitor with the
great scope of the experimental work
undertaken, the thoroughness of
every investigation and the painstak-
ing care that must be exercised by
the station staff in conducting these
experiments. 1t is we'll worth the
time expended and the station Off
Gals are always willing and ready to
conduct any person or party over the
big farm, explaining the purpose OF
each experiment and making the triI
a profitable as we'll as interesting
one.