Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-02-19
Marquis Wheat For
the Northwest
By prof. ThOs. Shaw.

This wheat has done so very well in
the American Northwest since its in
PRODUCTION that the farmers in those
areas should give much heed to the
claims made for it. It first came prom
inently into public notice at the Dry
Farming Congress held at Lethbridge,
Ilta, Canada, in 1912. 1t excelled all
other varieties shown, both in yield
and quality, and was awarded highest
honors at the exhibit held in eonnec-
ton 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
gratifying character.
1t has been grown under the direc-
ton of the writer in various places
since that time, and some of the re-
suits obtained should prove interesting.
The work was conducted more especial
ly under the direct supervision Of my
assistant, Mr.. Z. A. Wilson. II was
grown at Elgin, N, L., in 1918, 1914
and 1915, and also some other places.
In 1913 the yield on the Elgin Demon
stratiOn Farm was 10 bushels while the
average from other wheat in the vicin-
ity was bushels. In 1914 the yield
at Elgin was 80 bushels against II of
Blue Stem grown under similar condi-
tions. All the Marquis grown on the
experiment farm at Elgin in 1914 was
sown on other station farms in 1915
or sold for seed to farmers in that part
of Dakota. In 1915 at Elgin the yield
was SO bushels against % of Blue
Stem. At Halliday and Golden Val
ley the yields were "A and 3S bushels,
respectively, from the Marquis. The
nineteen farmers near Elgin obtained
an average of 10 bushels in 1915,
against an average of l3 and Is of
Blue Stem and Red Fife, respectively.
The great value Of this wheat viewed
from the standpoint of yield is not to
be questioned.
Good reports are also received re-
caring its behavior in Montana and
places farther west, but these areas
age not so distinetively in the spring
wheat belt, hence the growth of Mar,
quis is not so important relatively, as
in Western Dakota. Where we tried
it in Central Oregon, the results were
encouraging.
This wheat is characterized by sew
eral excellent properties among which
are the following: (1) 1t natures
from to 10 days earlier than other
Wheat. This tends to protect it from
the adverse Influences of injury from
hot winds and drought (2) 1t does
not shatter nearly so readily as Blue
Stem or Red Fife during the harvest.
! ing process. This is true of il even
when overripe. (3) The straw is
shorter and stiffer than that Of Blue
Stem, hence in dry year it suffers
less from drought and in wet year
it suffers less from lodging. In one
of our experiments near Prineville in
Central Oregon in 1913, the yield was
10 bushels per acre against a bushels
of the variety usually grown there,
though produced under the same con
ditions. The summer that year was
abnOrmally dry at Prineville. (4) II
does not rust nearly so readily as
Blue Stem. This was shown very
clearly in 1915 in Southwestern Da-
kota, in crops grown under similar
conditions. (5) 1t is fully equal to if
not superior to the Blue Stem and
Red Fife in its milling properties.
In dry areas the rate of seeding
should be about pecks per acre, and
it is very important that the seed
should be sown early and preferably
ON corn land. If so%n on stubble the
best results win usually be obtained
from fall plowed land II spring
( plowed, the work should be done quite
early and the land should then be
packed as soon as plowed. On loose
soils the aim should be to sow the
seed with a press drill, burying it to
the depth Of 2 to inches. Those who
intend to SOW this variety Of wheat
should secure the seed in ample time,