The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-09-07
ANNUAL CROP FOR
FORAGE PURPOSES
FORAGE SPECIALIST TELLS BEST
ANNUAL CROPS FOR PRoDUc-
'TIoN ON FORAGE
CORN BEST ON DRY LAND
Describes Results of Judith
Basin

: For various reasons the dry-lan,
: farmer frequently finds it advantag
, eous, If not entirely necessary, to US
annual crops for the production Of for
age, says N. T. Woodward, scientific
assistant, office of forage crop investi
: cations, United States Department o.
Agriculture. Mr.. Woodward has jus
} recently prepared bulletin-No. Is;
: of the Montana State College publica
tions-in which he tells the results Of
: forage crop Investigations in the
Judith Basin.
All experiments were conducted
under dry land conditions and the con-
clusions drawn are those that the re-
suits seem to warrant.
Corn is the most productive and
most important of all the annual for
age crops that have been grown at the
Judith Basin substation. Corn has
been included in the rotation and till
age experiments conducted by the
Office of Dry Land Agriculture. The
average yield of corn fodder per acre
for the years 1909 to 1921, inclusive,
has been 4,730 pounds. The North
western Dent variety has been found
most satisfactory for fodder.
The corn is usually planted in rows
40 inches apart with the plants IL to-
Ii inches apart in the row and we'll
cultivated. More complete informa.
ton concerning corn in the Judith
Basin may be obtained from Montana
Bulletin, 1872, "Corn Experiments at
the Judith Basin Satisfaction"
At various times during the past
seven or eight years, several forage
crops of minor Importance have been
tested in an effort to determine their
adaptability to Judith Basin condi-
lions.
The growing season Of this region
is too short for soy beans as all plant
ings made have been killed by frost
before maturity.
Several kinds of vetch have been
tried but due to various factors, par
ticularly jackrabbits and winter-kill-
ing. most of the seedlings have failed
and hence no yields are recorded.
Horse beans have also been tested,
but the yields secured were not worth
recording.
From these experiments it would ap-
pear that soy beans, vetch, and horse
beans will not prove valuable in the
Judith Basin. 1t is possible that profit
able yields might be obtained some
years from any one of these crops, but
results are SO uncertain In this region
that they must still be regarded as in
the experimental stage.
Summary of Experiments
/. The most promising varieties of
field peas for the Judith Basin region
are Carleton, McAdoo, Paragon and
Gregory.
2. The average yield of peas per
acre from the best varieties has been
approximately 10 bushels. Yields of
70 bushels per acre have been recorded
turing especially favorable seasons.
3. The seed-bed should be thor
'ughly prepared.
4. 1t is recommended that field
$500 " oCCuC0 at llC lOllOWllS Idl6S
oer acre: small-seeded varieties, so
pounds; varieties with medium-sized
leeds, 100 pounds; varieties with large
eeds, 120 pounds.
0. Field peas should be sown with
drill, care being taken to use a feed
Which does not crack the peas.
6. Cover the seed 2 to 4 inches
eep, depending upon the soil condi-
ions.
z. Early planting Of field peas is
cry desirable. Peas grow best DUR
lg cool and moist weather.
.. Hay made from mixtures of
mall grain and field peas is both
alatable and nutritious.
y. Paragon field peas and Swedish
elect oats sown at the proportion Of
LAO pounds per acre produced the
ost economical yield of hay over a
lree-year period.
10. In choosing varieties for pea
ain mixture for hay, be careful to
lect varieties that will mature at
Early the same time.
IL. Small grains harvested in the
Xix stage make very satisfactory hay.
hite hull-less barley, Swedish Select
is, and Marquis wheat sown alone
We given very promising yields of
y.
L. Millet, sorgo and Sudan grass
We not proved to be dependable
rage crops for the Judith Basin.
Ii. Root crops require much hand
'or and yields are not large enough
justify their being grown extensive
on dry land.
IA. During the years 1920 and 1921.
lflowers have produced slightly
re silage per acre than corn.
o.. Corn is THE most productive
most important of all annual for.
: crops which have been tested Tor
'eries of years at the Judith Basin
station.
D. The average yield of field
ed fodder per acre at the Judith
sin SubStatiOD for the vears 1oOo