The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1922-06-29
Experiment Station Visited.


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mer % that Of the best and the results
were studied carefully. But it IS alto-
frthor toe much Of q job TO tell Of tins
on paper The farmers who were not
there this year will have to SO next
and see and study for themselves, and
all those there on this trip should 50
back again. The moisture experiments,
the field peas and the farm machinery,
as well as the farm lands Of sherman
county have 60 be seen to be appreeis-
ted.
The afternoon Of Saturday was spent
In the shade Of the laboratory building,
eating doughnuts and drinking lemon
ade while listening to an interesting lee
ture BY Mr.. stephens on the work, pro
gress and findings Of the station. Those
who were so unfortunate as not to be
able to 20 over there can get the prin-
cipAl points Of this lecture by obtaining
from the Oregon Agricultural college
bulletin No. 100, wheat Growing After
Fallow in Eastern Oregon" by D. E
Stephens and G. R. Hyslop. This bull
letin is a good thing to have if far
mer is going to grow wheat.
HowelI's Farm.
After leaving Wasco the party, under
the leadership of County Agent Calkins,
visited the farm Of Henry Howell, one
Of the largest and foremost farms Of
Sherman county. Under the capable
management Of Mr.. Howell this farm
has been making an average yield Of
better than forty bushels to the acre
for the past three years. He has been
farming this place for the last eighteen
years and the fields are in the best Of
condition.
Several points Of interest were dis
covered in Mr.. Howell's methods OF
farming. First of all, the major oper-
ations are done with large tractors;
two big 75-horsepewer traeklayers being
used for this purpose. These tractors
are not only maintained on this farm
but they are repaired there as well. Mr.
Howell is a skilled mechanic, and while
doing all of his repair work has devised
a number Of rather scientific bitches for
pulling plows, drills, weeders, and COM
bine.
Besides the machinery exhibit Mr.
Howell was also able to show a large
acreage of Turkey red wheat that prom
ises a yield of forty bushels this year
and large body of summerfallow Of
which no farmer need be ashamed. II
was very firm under foot and yet pos
sessed a good soil mulch, which condi'
ton was brought about by the use Of
Campbell packers drawn directly behinC
the plows and then gone over with ths
spring tooth harrow After viewing
this farm the Morrow county visitors
were made to realize that as yet the!
have not been doing their best.
Fred Root Farm Visited.
Another very successful farmer Of
the Gol6on Ridge section of Sherman
county. which by the way is eonside re-
to contain the cream of wheat land
of that county, is Fred Root, who doe!
not follow just the same line of pro
cedure in all his work as Mr.. Howell
He uses horses principally but has I
tractor which has been used to som'
extent on the place and not considered
to be the greatest success. Mr.. Roo
does not handle as much land as hi
neighbor but as to yield he gets abou
the sams results per acre. This farm
like that of Mr.. Howell, is well kept, th'
sunmerfallow is thoroughly worked anC
kept free from weeds and the moisture
well preserved Mr. Root has a fine lo
Of growing grain, all Turkey red, bu
does not expect nearly so good yielC
as last season. The long, dry fall work
ed a hardship on the Sherman count.
farmers as it did over this way and |
very large number were puzzled as t.
the proper time for seeding. Mr.. Roo
follows the early seeding method con
sistently and has found this to give bes
results. Like Mr.. Howell, he favors tn,
hoe drill, but at that he fears that |
lot of his grain got into the ground |
little too deep last fall because of tht
dry condition of the soil at seeding
time.
We had the pleasure, late Saturday al
ternoon, through the courtesy Of Harr,
Pinkerton, secretary Of the Sherman
county farm bureau, of visiting a mum
Der Of fine wheat farms between Gordol
Ridge and the Niger Ridge and wa
shown what is said to be the finest fel
OF Turkey red in Sherman county thi
season. 1t stood better than waist higf
was very even all over and is estimate
AIOuA GlESEHA pIbspGILS w ONOA -
sacks per acre.
One csnnot fail to be impressed wit
the very thorough methods of farmln
il general use in Sherman county Th
farmers there .have learned their lesso
many years ago ard they are living I
10 their knowledge in a very consisteT
IcaRner. Weeds have had to be keT
down and the fight has been a har
one. The rotary bar weeder is in Us
almost constantly on the summerfallo
and this implement is well liked; it gel
the weeds and helps in packing the Ian
Just here it might be well to give
summary from Bulletin No. 100, refe
red to above:
wheat is the most important ere
in Eastern Oregon. About a millic
and quarter acres are annually deyo
ed to raising wheat in the eighties
counties east Of the Cascade mountain
"Wheat is principally grown aft
summerfallow. The area sown to whes
exclusive of the summer-fallowed are
is about equal to that of all other ee
eals and forage crops combined.
Winter wheat generally outyiel
spring wheat, except under irrigation.
NEARLY all Eastern Oregon soils a
adapted to wheat growing. On t
lighter soils Of the drier areas, whe
has been found to be the farmers mo
profitable crop.
Preparation Of Soil for Growing Whe
After Fallow.
Experiments at Moro station sht
that fall disking of stubble reduc
wheat yields. Spring disking before es
ly spring plowing does not pay.
Spring disking before late spri
plowing kills weeds, saves moisture, a
increases yields.
Burning stubbie is likely to deplt
the soil Of needed vegetable matter a
ultimately cause it to run together a
be more subject to washing and gul
ing. Stubble should never be burn
in the fall The standing stubble hol
snow and aids in getting moisture II
the soil.
Highest yields and best quality
wheat are produced on early sprir
vlo,rad errn M rf ai1nw Careful eynp