The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-08-11
PASTURES FOR
RECLAMATION PROJECT

upon the establishment OF live stock |
industries, according to circular on
the use OF irrigated pastures recently |
issued by the Bureau of Plant Indus
try of the L. S. Department Of Ag-
riculture to meet demand for infor-
nation on this subject. The use OF
irrigated pastures as summer feed, par
ticularly for dairy cattle and sheep,
is almost imperative on these projects
because of the scarcity and high cost
OF labor during the summer. This
need becomes increasingly acute as the
number of stock increases and the
area of untitled land on and near the
farm decreases.
The information in the circular is
based on experiments conducted dur
ing several years by Federal and State
agencies at the Huntley, Mont, Scot
stbluff, Neb, and Belle Fourche, S. D.,
field stations, and at the Gooding,
Idaho, Experiment Station, by the
University of Idaho; and on OBJ
servations made during the past four
years on eleven northern reclamation
projects.
There is reason to believe that,
while the carrying capacity and meth
DDS followed vary on the different
farms under observation, with good
management an acre of pasture will
support two cows on their equiva-
lent in other live stock for from four
to SIX months each year.. depending
on the location of the project 1t also
appears that under favorable local
conditions and proper care, the stock
carrying capacity of these pastures
could be increased somewhat from
year to year
Farmers in the Salt Lake Valley
of Utah have found that irrigated
pastures are profitable on land which
is valued at 5000 an acre. A dairy
farmer in the Snake River Valley OF
Idaho reports that his irrigated pas
ture carries three COWS per acre.
The value of such pasturage can be
stated in terms of hay replacement
Two cows will consume approximately
ton of alfalfa hay each month Ii
this hay is valued at SIS ton. the
hay replacement value of an acre of
irrigated pasture would be SIS month
The length Of the pasture season
varies from four to six months, de-
| pending on the climatic conditions on
the different projects. Hence the hay
| replacement value of an acre of good
| pasture can be estimated at from $40
to $50 year. These hay-replace
values would of course, be greater
when the price of hay exceeded SIS
| ton. In connection with this, it is
| important to consider the fact that
the use OF pastures requires much less
| labor that the feeding of hay and that
| good pasture is at least equal to- if
| not better than, hay as feed for cows
| Such returns as these fully justify the
use of some of the best land on the
farm for irrigated pasture.
Not all farmers who have tried
| irrigated pastues have obtained salts
factory results, but in most cases the
failures have been due to the causes
which might have been prevented One
| common error is the belief that the
| pasture should occupy that part of the
| farm which does not produce salts
factory yields of farm crops Many
have attempted to produce pasture on
shallow soil or land that is rocky
and unsuited for pasturage. Careless
preparation of soil and poor seed are
also common causes of failure. Low
carrying capacity frequently is due to
the fact that only grasses are used
whereas it is desirable to include one
of two clovers. Overlooking par,
ticularly during the first year, graz,
ing when the soil is too wet, and in.
adequate or improper irrigation are
other explanations of lack OF success
| The circular devotes considerabl,
attention to selection of locations fol
pastures, preparation of the land, tn,
Importance of using fertile and pro
/ ductive soil, making provision TO
| proper preparation of seed bed. Unde
the subject of the seed bed, the au
thor writes:
The seed bed should be CAREFUL,
prepared and made firm and smooth
so that satisfactory stand can b.
secured. 1t is ordinarily better t,
provide plenty of moisture in the sol
before seeding time than to seed il
a dry soil and irrigate immediatel
afterwards. This is true particular
of heavy soil on which a tough crus
is likely to form alter irrigation an
interfere with the emergency of tn
young plants. On light soils, how
ever, where the upper 3 to inche
dries out very rapidly, it frequentl
is necessary to seed in dry soil an
to irrigate Immediately after seeding
In such instances the use of the COZ
rugation method of irrigation durin
the first year is particularly desirabl,
and the land should be prepared ac
cordingly."
Regarding pasture crops the publ
cation says:
There are in use in irrigated pa:
lures variety OF crops in almost If
Vulnerable combinations In the gres
majority of cases, however, the be:
results are secured with mixture {
clover. Sweet clover alone is used t
some extent on a number of the pro
jects, but no Information has bee