The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1917-03-30
PROFIT IN CORN.

before, would deserve better of man
kind and do more essential service to
his country than the whole race OF
politicians put together. - Dean
ISwift.
What a wonderful opportunity is
lpreesnted us to be Of service to our
country by growing corn and grass
where sage brush grew before, and
thus transform the barren hillocks
and valleys into verdent pasture,
fields of golden corn, and luxuriant
alfalfa. Individually $nd collectively
ia strenuous effort should be made to
put into high state, of cultivation
this raw land, and make this fertile
soil which has been Idle produce a
Iprofit for the owner.
To attain this Object a main crop
for the valley should be selected. In
choosing this the following crucial
test should be applied: What crop
Twill produce the quickest, most GER
tain profit at the least cost per acre.
land best prepare the ground for fu.
ture crops, especially alfalfa and
pasture? Applying this test, all crops
will be eliminated except yea mays
Just plain corn.
The estimated profit in corn grow
ing Is not so great as some truck
|crops, but Is made certain. Truck
crops should not be planted unless a
sale OF the products Is assured Then
the cost of growing Is SO great that
only a small acreage scan be handled.
For example, my tomatoes cost $203. .S5
per acre to grow and market. A total
area of ten acres in the valley would
probably glut the market. Most truck
crops compete, in time of planting.
cultivating and harvesting, with corn.
Potatoes, however, do not, as they can
be planted after corn, and harvested
and cultural methods are very similar
to that for corn. At present prices for
pork, potatoes, If mixed with corn
meal, are worth about $40 per ton for
hog feed.
Compared to most crops large
acreage Of corn can be grown p
man. The cost of growing and har
vesting an acre In the valley under
Irrigation is approximately as fol-
lows: Flowing, $3.50. narrowing, $3.50
seed, SOC, seeding, sS5c, cultivation
(six times) $500, d4tching and irri
eating (three times1 $500, thinnin
and hoeing, $2.25. harvesting, (shock-
Ling andahaskiaga estimating a
yield Of 40 bushels per acre. Water
charges, taxes and interest on invest
ment have not been charged to the
cost of growing. They must be paid
whether we grow corn or sage brush.
Interest and depreciation on equip
ment is a small item that one can
easily figure by allowing interest on
value and 10 to Is per cent deprecia-
ton annually.
| The figures given above are based
on a 40 bushel per acre yield, though
several of the best corn raisers claim
an average yield of from so to 10
bushels. While 40 bushels per acre is
above the average yield over the
United States, the estimate is believed
to be conservative as the irrigation
farmers are more scientific, skillful
and equal in ability, thus holding up
the average yield. Estimating pos
sible yield of one acre of corn, figur-
ing the rows 3 IL feet apart with
three ears to every 3 IL feet in the
row. This Is possible. Now estimate the
leverage weight of the ears to be ga
IpOund. This Is not such big ear, but
1t gives us yield of 1877 bushels per
acre. By hybridlzation. selection, fer
Utilizing, increase the average weight
of each ear to one pound and we have
III bushels per acre.
We should be able to raise ten
bushels per acre to sell for seed corn
lat $3.50 per bushel, and 80 bushels for
feed, which Is worth about $1.00 per
lbushel for hogs. One bushel of corn
will produce about 10 pounds of pork
This gives $3.50 for total value less
the fodder of one acre of corn. De-
,ducting $22.10 cost of growing and
harvesting, we have a difference OF
I$33.40 which represents the estimated
Iprofit of corn over sage brush.
1t costs about $500 less for seed
bushel of potatoes will produce about
rs bushels; one bushel of corn, 40(
lbusels. Irrigating corn costs less than
potatoes, and the cost of harvesting
is about $1,000 less per acre. 1t costs
|about $500 less to grow and harvest
Ian acre of corn of 40 bushels, than tc
lgrow and harvest an acre of potatoes
lof so sacks. Consequently larger
|acreage of corn than potatoes can bt
handled. However, by planting pota
toes as side crop, a larger acreage
may be cultivated as they do not com
pete for the fafmer's time as stated
before. ~
| Corn is a good crop to precede al
falfa, pasture or small grains. Rye Of
wheat, to be used as nurse crop
may be sown before or after corn II
cut. Better results are obtained usu
Ially by sowing alfalfa with a nurse
crop and the cost of seeding to alfalfa
lis greatly reduced Alfalfa may b,
.sown without the small grain wheI
, the corn is being cultivated the las
time.
Corn growing leads to stock raising
! Turning grain into meat is a goos
: way to beat high freight rates. B.
!; feeding corn to stock and returnin,
, the manure to the fields, We retain th'
fertility of our SOIL Most of the small
. grains and truck crops are robbers
as they are shipped to other locali
tiles and return little to the soil.
: A corn seed growers association
should be formed, affiliated with tn
fruit growers unit now being organi
zed; membership Of fifty or NOR