The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-01-04
NEWCOMER ARRIVES
In LATAH COUNTY
FIELD PEA PROVES TO BE SOURCE
OF LARGE INCOMES TO PA
LOUISE WHEAT FARMERS
Value Of Pea Crop not Dependent upon
War Prices-Uniyersity Proves
Value as Livestock Food
By E. J. DDINGS
Bean Of the University of Idaho Agi-
cultural College.


cultural College.
Wheat and field peas have been the
big things in Latah county agricul
ture in 1916 Wheat has always beer
a dependable and staple crop, due tC
deep, rich soil and climatic factors
that favor the wheat plant. The yield
this year was high and in common
with other wheat producing sections
the county of Latah reaped well the
boom of phenomenal prices. Wheat
alone during the past year has cleared
many farm of mortgage, resulted in
new buildings and improvements, and
purchased comfort and convenience
for the farmer and his family.
A newcomer has arrived upon the
Latah form-the field pea. The orig
inaI efforts of two years ago resulted
from suggestions given to an audience
of farmers at the annual Farmers
and Housekeepers' club of the uni
versity James O'Connor, formerly a
Kansas farmer, was the pioneer who
had faith in the advice given from
the farmers week program, and con-
Quoted trial with so acres of Blue
Prussian field peas. The crop brought
s25 per acre on land that would other
wise have been used for summer fall
low. The O'Connor 1916 crop was 100
acres and the 1917 crop will be 400
saflres The O'Connor 1916 crop sold
for a trif1e under $50 per acre. Other
farmers who had good crops in 1916
and who sold late when the foreign
demand brought sharp and decided
rise in prices, sold the crop for $50
to 500 per acre, or at "a price of $5cto
$40 more than the land could have
brought year ago.
Nor is the Latah field pea industry
dependent upon war prices alone. The
university through its department of
animal husbandry seeded a tract for
hogging-off The yield of pork was
2316 pounds. Valuing the pork at
eight cents per pound, a reasonable
one in any year, the yield per acre,
without cost for harvesting or thresh-
ing was $45.20 With pork at nine
cents, common price for the past
three months, the yield was $53.72.
A further use for field peas has been |
found. The university has been sue
SLIDING and feeding COM |
bination of wheat and peas, and anoth-
er combination of peas and oats. This |
work opens a new field for silage in !
those sections where difficulty is had !
in raising corn.
The field pea crop in Latah county !
in 1915 was probably less than 100
acres. In 1916 it was between 900 |
and 500 acres. Estimates for the acre
age of the 1917 crop vary from 5000 to
5000 acres.
AS with wheat and peas it has been
/ good year for oats, barley, vegeta-
lies, fruit root crops and hay. The
lay of 1916 is Of particularly high
quality.
In public way the University of
daho has won added laureis in live
tock work It's student judges won
irst In two of the three northwestern
ontests, competing with the agricul-
ural colleges of Oregon and Washing
on. Again the university's livestock
erd was invincible in the showing.
'he high awards and those especially
esired were grand champion wether
t Lewiston, and grand champion steer
9th at Lewiston and at Portland. The
'ort1and grand champion was the
pure bred Hereford, Bon
lie Lad, a steer sold at auction at 45
ents per pound, bringing $747. At
he two shows the university winnings y
1taled Thirds, 13 Seconds, Is Firsts, l
We championships and three grand Is
championships. &
Latah claims to be one of the banner
gricultural counties of the state. The :,
laim appears to be we'll founded. 7