Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1920-08-06
SUNFLOWwEE sILAGE PROVES
IMPORTANT CROP IN OREGON
by G. f. HYsLOP
Professor CT Farm Crops. Oregon
Agricultural College

(From July Farm Bureau Newsl
Sunflowers. but few years ago
common weeds In sister state, now
are among oregon's important forag,
plants. Many a person who has
Kansas acquaintance with sunfl sw-
ers is slow to believe they make val
liable silage. Sunflowers have for
many years been made q part of tho
Canadian silage mixture. The sun
flower heads are mixed with corn
and in some cases other kinds OF
silage mixture.
The recent work of the Montana
experiment station has given the
northern and western states special
interest in work In sunflowers for
silage. Three years ago very few Or
egon farmers We're growing sunfloW-
ers and only small number OF these
men were using them in the silo
Last year sunflower silage was made
In Wallowa. Union, Umatilia, Clat-
sop. Tillamook, Deschutes, Waseo,
klamath, Benton and probably some
other counties, and many people now
are enthusiastic advocates OF sun
flower silage.
The following extract from a let
ter from a farmer in Deschutes coun-
ty Is interesting. He stated that from
about five acres of sunflowers, plant
ed late, he put up about so or 20
tons. quote as follows. 1T has
kept well and the cattle eat IL readily
! am feeding it to dairy COWS at about
30 pounds each day 10 the COW. / ex-
pect to fatten steers this next winter
on sunflower silage and alfalfa and
TO winter some range stock on silage
and straw. Some of my sunflowers
went about 25 tons 10 the acre"
With the introduction OF this new
crop into cur forage program It is
important to know where the crop Is
worth while and where IL b likely
to be a success in competition with
other silage plants
The Oregon Agricultural c5ile$e
does not recommend suAflaW rs ~
silage purposes where corn 81 good
qnsisly may be grown but 81 soIls
that are too cold for corn, o. too dry
for best results with corn 81 " here
the growing season "a TO ahert fol
corns the sunfioWeES mako an excel
lent spriag-planted crop. Their fore.
Oh many e the white land - Is, and
some Or inc heavy black soils Of
western Oregon that are loo cold
md heavy and TOO poorly drained foi
good results with corn. W. recon-
mend suufIowers. Fer some soils that
ire too dry for corn, as on some Of
ha eastern Oregon dry soils AMI
where the growing season e rather
warm, and the rainfall light. su1
lowers appear to be a9ro productive
han corn.
II the high p.ateaa region ef cen.
RAJ and southeastern Oregon. whcrf
here Is danger or frost about thf
middle Of june and frests sometime
August. the suuflcwer plants BE-
'ag more res-steaI to frost raprcssn
lie best IntertIIIel crop for aglag
for spring planting.
In the coast region OF the north
western part Of the state. where TIT
growing season n too cool for COED
results with corn. and IN some caaag
where the soil Is too cold, large yieias
OF sunfiowers are being secured. 70
the most part the crop has been YER
successful in practically every part
" the state where X has been tried.
a disease identified by the plant
pathology department OF the college
as botTytus was rather serious il q
few Of the thlckly planted fields on
some OF the low moist lands ln the
northwest coast district. Outside 81
thai onn rlaoa zha L.. - -.