The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1922-10-13
MANY VALUABLE EXPERIMENTS
Being MADE AT LOCAL STATION
CROPS THAT WERE MADE THIS YEAR WITH LITTLE RAIN
FALL PROVE ADVANTAGE OF EDUCATIONAL FARMING
WEEDS GREATEST DETRIMENT TO PLANTS
Value of Agricultural Station Lubbock Easily Recognized Az
One Reviews Work That is Being Done There-Fsmers
Should Profit by These Experiments.

The possibilities OF AGRICULTURAL
achievements in Lubbock county are
very readily shown at the Agricul-
mral Experiment Station farm at
thi. harvest season.
Ma r. r Harper, who has charge
of the farm. has this year made
some 0f the most important tests
as regards plant life on the plains
/ that have been made IN some time,
! and while the writer admits a great
deal of density on our part hm-
dering our complete understanding
Of a good many Of the specimens as
explained by him, we were al once
able 70 see that some wonderful de-
velopments have been made which
will 20 far in advancing the cause
Of the farmer Of the plains.
The most alarming thing we learn
I ed while on tour Of the place.
however, doesn't pertain 20 plant
/ life one bit, but 20 community life
! that is that a small per cent OF
our farmers are taking direct ad-
vantage Of the experiments made
there. This in indeed a source of
great loss 20 them, and while Mr..
| Harper is confident that they will
finally get advantage Of what is
being done by getting seed for
planting purposes from the farmers
who DO take advantage of the plant
, ing seed furnished there, that in a
roundabout way every farmer in
the county is profiting by the
things that are being done az the
farm.
1t is interesting indeed 20 30
about over the place and learn OF
the way the various crops have been
cultivated.
Ii is noticeable that cultivation is
necessary indeed. and that the kind
! Of cultivation is not such great
| factor. but the amount Of work that
Is done on each tract has more 10
! do with the yield than anything
| else. Very drastic changes in the
appearance of two crops of cotton
prove that weeds are the great
est hindrances TO plant life on the
plains, especially cotton, as Two
/ adjoining tracts of seven rows each
which were not cultivated at all
after planting, other than the use
Of the hoe in one keeping down all
weeds, while the weeds in the ether
were left to grow, prove that with
out any cultivation whatever other
than choppng down the weeds the
| crops will grow to some extent,
while without the weeds being killed,
/ the field plants are unable 20 stand
/ the drouth season with the weeds
absorbing all the moisture from he
ground.
II is unnecessary Of course 10
| explain to a farmer that weeds are
detrimental to the growth Of his
crop. but il is necessary TO prove
10 what extent the weeds are detri-
mental. The writer Is of the opin-
ion that any farmer who sees the
result Of that one test alone will he
a hundred fold repaid for the effort
Of getting 10 and from the exper.-
ment station. This and the other
tests bring a great deal of light TO
the farming industry which has not
been realized heretofore on the
plains.
Iust recently the writer passed =
cotton crop in which tumble weeds
had been allowed 10 grow so rank
that it was impossible to see the cot
ton further than one-fourth of the
distance across the field, and in
somuch as that crop was not in
Lubbock county and we do not know
of any Of such description here. we
want 10 give out farmers credit
for using better business Judgment.
but want TO emphasize the fact that
we are of the opinion that should
have that farmer known the exact
amount Of damage those weeds were
doing on his farm he would have
spent a great deal Of time and ef
fort ridding his field Of them. A
trip TO the experiment station at
most any time the mast six weeks
would have proven TO him conclus-
lively the power of weeds TO kill his
crop.
Another test which would make
anyone take notice is the contrast
between broadcast alfalfa and an
adjoining tract which Is planted In
rows. From the broadcast tract
two cuttings were made. after which
no further growth was made, while
that which was planted in rows
and was cut at each time the broad
cast tract was. is growing very
well in spite Of dry weather. and
will prove 20 anyone the advantage
Of the new way Of planting.
The most interesting section Of
the experiment station IN our notion
are those tracts devoted % exnerl-
ments In grain sorghum develop
menis. al which Mr.. Karper has
spent great deal of time and
study. and the snlrndld sneclmors
developed sneak well FOE hls know
ledge ~ the work.
IN Il distressing a know that
here are eFops of feea about OYER