The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1917-04-20
NATURE CROPS QUICKLY
some POINTERS HOW
Get Spring Crops Planted AS
Early AS Possible in Higher
Irrigated Valleys

ANVA 1
fastened by increasing the amount OF
seed that is planted per acre, says
Prof. Alfred Atkinson in q statement
calling attention Of farmers to the
Importance of securing early maturity
Of crops in the higher irrigated val
legs Of the state.
Professor Atkinson points out that
in the higher irrigated valleys the ,
short growing season limits the var
iety and yield Of crops rather more
than any other single factor. Al
season is short for two reasons. There
is a comparatively few days between
the date Of the last spring frosts and
the first killing frosts in the fall.
Furthermore, the nights are cool SO
that the rate Of growth is not as
rapid in these areas as in localities
at lower attitudes. With these facts
in mind farmers in the higher valleys
Of the state do we'll if they utilize all
of the growing eason available and
make all reasonable effort to get
their crops matured early.
Plant Early
The best and most practical method
Of insuring early maturity is to get
the crops planted in good season.
Some growers seem to feel that the
grain ought not to be put in until the
last Of May or the first Of June. In
vestigations at the experiment sta
ton extending over the past eight
years clearly show that the highest
yields Of grain, the greatest amount
Of grain for the amount of straw pro-
duced and the smallest per cent of
lodging is from crops planted early.
The early planted crops are almost
never injured by the fall frosts, while
this injury often renders grains worth
less for seed with crops planted late.
Where the season is comparatively
short plant spring grains as soon as
the ground can be gotten in shape.
Heavy Seeding
Where planting is delayed for any
reason on the irrigated farm the
growth period may be shortened
somewhat by increasing the amount of
seed planted. On the average of seven
year tests, wheat planted at the rate
of four bushels per acre matured five
days quicker than wheat planted at
the rate of one bushel per acre. Oats
planted at the rate of four bushels
matured four days quicker than oats
planted at the rate of M bushel pei
acre, and barley planted at the rate
seven days quicker than barley plant.
of four bushels per acre matureo
ed at the rate of M bushel per acre
on the average. The heavier seeding
provides for more plants which use
up the moisture more quickly anc
hasten the maturity.
1t is not advised that as much as
four bushels of seed should be usee
under any condition, but the sugges
ton offered is that as the planting
is delayed under irrigation especial!
in the higher valleys, the amount o:
seed should be slightly increased. L
the practice is to use two bushels O
seed for planting up to the 10th o
May, then two bushels and a hal
ought to be used after this date. Thi
same question has been investigated
in the wheat growing sections o
Kansas and Nebraska and other states
and the same effect has been note
there.
Plant as early as the seed bed ca
be properly prepared. If planting i
delayed increase the amount of see
slightly. These recommendations d
not apply to dry land conditions. TIL
only way to play safe on the dry farr
is to follow early spring planting,