American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-01-08
BIG ACREAGE IN WHEAT.
IL Z. Breeding Farms 735 Acres, All
Devoted to Wheat.

Nine miles west of American Falls,
in Pleasant Valley, H. y. Breeding is
engaged in the growing of wheat on
an extensive scale. He owns 100 acres
of land, embracing the REIMBURSEMENT
bought from Clint Pearson in 1912.
He leases 800 acres of state land adj
joining the home ranch and also leases
another 320-acre tract located one
mile to the west of the home ranch.
OF this total of 800 acres 1856 are in
cultivation. In 1917 Mr.. Breeding had
300 acres in Turkey Red and Hybrid
wheat and 80 acres each in spring
wheat and barley. From 155 acres of
Turkey Red he threshed $40 sacks and
from 100 acres of Hybrid $50 sacks;
is acres of Marquis wheat yielded 125
sacks. The Turkey Red and the Hy-
brid weighed about 1876 pounds per
sack, while the Marquis averages lao
pounds to the sack. The Hybrid win
ter wheat yields a larger acre average
than does Turkey Red, but it is not
as good a milling wheat. The Turkey
Red tested 59h pounds per bushel and
brought from $3.05 to 1914 per 100
pounds. The Hybrid tested IS pounds
per bushel and brought $3.06 per 100
pounds, rating as No. ? winter wheat.
The Turkey Red on this ranch was
threshed before the fall rains set in
and was of standard color, rains fire.
quently being a detrimental factor in
bleaching the wheat, and it brought a
premium on the open market.
In 1915 Mr.. Breeding raised a big
crop of Turkey Red, the acre average
going to 35 bushels, and the Hybrid
the same year went as high as 40
bushels per acre. That year 49OO
sacks of wheat were threshed on the
ranch, including some spring wheat.
The records of the ranch show that
1000 sacks of wheat were taken from
go acres that year, and v since
has the yield been ~equalled.
The practice of having half of thu
acreage in summer fallow and the
other half in crop is followed on this
ranch. The pillow is set to go from six
TO eight inches deep, and blowing is
started as early in the spring as pos
sible. The harrow is taken over the
ground repeatedly and the weeder is
also taken over the ground several
times. The latter implement, in the
opinion of Mr.. Breeding, stirs up the
ground more thoroughly than does the
harrow and he takes it over the land
whether weeds are in evidence or not.
The harrow is again taken over the
fall seeded acreage in the spring to
get the weeds, to break the crust and
to stir the soil. Mr.. Breeding seeds a
bushel to the acre both in fall and
spring seeding, going on the theory
that a thick stand of grain is best
where weeds are apt to be bothersome
the thick stand of grain having a ten
dency to keep down the weeds. He
has about concluded, however, that
he will have to resort to spring seed
ing exclusively for a period of years,
owing to the inroads of Russian
thistles and Jimhill mustard which
have been rolling in from the west, an
/, unlimited and unwelcomed transgres-
sor. So bad has been the menace of
these weeds in this locality that three
times during the past fall the accu-
mutation on the fences has been burn
ed. and still the weed plants come
a-rolling. The organization of weed
districts and enforcement of the weed
law will be greeted with acclaim here.
The Russian thistle, especially, is so
great a menace here that extreme
measures will have to be adopted to
exterminate it.
The garden on this ranch always
gives a good yield, but it must be
attended to. The garden is dry farm,
like all the rest of the ranch. Some
years ago an orchard was set out, but