American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-06-29


Fields-SOlutiOn OF Road Weed Prob
lem Demonstrated by II. {. Martens.
The summer fallow excursion of the
Power County Farm Bureau, yester-
brought together some of the county's |
best farmers for visit to fields in
Pleasant Valley and Little Greek, for
a day of exchange of ideas. About
fifty Joined the excursion.
leaving American Falls about 3
o'clock the first stop was at the farm
Of ]. ]. Peacock, about seven miles
from town, where his summer fallow-
ed fields were tested for moisture. l..
c. Aichre, superintendent of the Aber-
deem Experiment station, who was 10
have ioined the excursionists there,
failed to arrive, which was the only
disappointment of the trip. Mr.. Aichre
was to have given results of expert
meuts at the station in moisture con-
servation, and pointed out the defects
in the methods followed on the farms
visited
Mr.. Peacock had some land plowed
prior to the heavy rain the fore part
Of May, and some afterward. None
Of his field was narrowed. The part
plowed before the rain had crusted TO
q considerable extent, and moisture
was encountered at about three inches,
and gradually increased to depth OF
fifteen or eighteen inches, when it be-
gan to decrease On the part plowed
after the rains the surface was loose,
and it was four inches or more 10
moisture. The moisture was greater
than in the part of the field on which
rain had fallen after the plowing was
done. and extended to a greater depth.
From appearances there was 90 per
cent more moisture in the part OF the
field with a loose surface than the
part where the surface was partially
compacted by rain.
County Agent Kjosness asked for
expressions of opinion by the farm
ers xSesent, regarding the metnods
considered by each to be best, stating
that some favored plowlng by May w.
following Immediately with the har-
row, then narrowing when weeds got
half an inch high, and if necessary
follow the harrow with weeder
Others favored postponing the first
narrowing until the weeds started. In
the Walla Walla country, he said, the
practice was to cultivate early to gel
the weeds up and then cultivate &c
kill them so they would not bother
the next season. The farmers there
had learned by experience that weeds
we're the greatest robber of moisture
They narrowed to germinate the mus
tard seed. which on account OF th'
amount of oil these seeds contained
would be dormant either buried or II
dry soil for as much as ten years, ah'
then germinate when conditions wer'
favorable What is needed here, NJ
said is to determine what is the bes
system, and then follow it. He aske'
for an expression of opinion as Il
whether those present believed 1t oes
to follow the plow with a harrow o
to postpone narrowing until the weed
terminated
Mr.. Peacock favored plowing earl
saS not narrowing until the weed
started. He did not favor letting tn
weeds get large.
Henry Ringe favored plowing a
early as possible so as to let the weed
start while there was moisture enoug
TO germinate the seed.
Mr.. Kjosness called attention to tn
success of Otto Martens, who last yea
harvested 231z bushels per acre frol
a field so weedy that it had never pre-
duced a crop. Mr.. Martens summ(
fallOMeu the ltlu OAlC gCeAA' FAo 80
six inches deep, followed the plo
with a harrow. then with weed'
then before seeding narrowed agai
This treatment killed the weeds al
produced a much better yield than Il
average crop of the neighbOrhOOd.
F. r. Meadows, who also harvest'
2215 bushels from a very large tiel
worked his land much the same
MIR Martens He followed the plo
with a harrow, used the weeder twiC
then narrowed again before seedln
He said he believed a better way W
10 disk in the spring, and then pic
al any time during the season Tn
~ time for plowing could be found. 1
asking would conserve the molstu
and kill many weeds.
William Mcknight double disk
his land, follows with harrow, plo
~ seven inches deep not later IN
Iune /. narrowed twice more, then
Law until two weeks before seedil
narrowed twice more, and had
weeds The narrowing had kill
them
Following the summer fallow d
cnssion the wheat field of Mr.. Peace
VAS visited. A posthole auger show
scarcely any moisture, yet the WIT
looked thrifty and those present
nressed belief that the field wo'
make fifteen bushels without any m'
rain.
Manuel Adolf's place was visi
h next. where moisture tests were ma
IN field part of which was plov
carly in the spring and part in
fan and seeded the following +
The spring plowing had been sunni
fallowed two seasons and the
moving only one. There was no
narent difference in the amount
moisture nor in the appearance OF
grain. The ground had been harr'
"a often enough to kill the weeds.
SN - ..a- - tha rate of &c pOu