The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-07-09
Weekly News Letter
From State College
F. S. COOLEY,
Director Extension Service
Preventing Hay Losses

From a farmer who sets tOo prices
FOR his nay and whose hay NOW
furnishes samples cash al. Cor the
county display at the state fair comes
the tOiiowinf suggestions as to the
proper method Of curing hay.
i always cut in the afternoon.
About 10 o'clock the next morning as
soon as most of the dew is off. but
while it is still tough enough so that
the leaves will not shatter, l rake the
nay into windows with a side delivery
rake. l leave it to cure that way
until about 10 o'clock the next morn
ing, when I turn over the windrow
with side delivery rake. That same
afternoon l haul it into the barn. I
use a loader to load the windows and
do not believe 1 lost 10 pounds OF
leaves altogether last year."
Installing Pump Outfit
With the renewed interest in pump
ing from wells for irrigation pur-
poses, H. E. Murdoch, agricultural
engineer at Montana State college
calls attention to the following sug-
gestiOns which farmers should bear
in mind when installing pumping out
fits.
l The farmer should engage the
services of a reliable well driller and
should see that a well drilling con-
tract is drawn up which will protect
him against unwarranted expense and
inferior work.
2 The well casing should be of q
standard type, such as screw, rivited
or stOvepipe casing, and the portion
in contact with water bearing forma-
tions should be perforated so as 70
admit water in sufficient quantities
and screen out the sand and gravel.
3 Before pumping equipment is
purchased the we'll should be thor
oughly tested to determine its capa-
city and drawdOwn.
4 The types of pumps most COM
monty used for irrigation are the
horizontal and vertical centrifugal, the
deep we'll turbine centrifugal, the
plunger and the air lift. The height
through which the water is to be lift
ed is the chief governing factor IN
the selection OF the type.
5 The power may be supplied by
an electric motor or an internal COM
bustion engine.
Farmers VS.. GOphers
The warfare between farmers and
gophers continues undated. In Flat
head county, under the direction OF
/. County Agent R. B. Mckee, a new
method of fighting the pest by using
calcium cyanide is being tried with
every indication that a new and
effective e of determination has
been added to the many methods now
in practice. The preliminary tests
. showed practically 100 per cent ettl
cheney for the cyanide method.
The method consists in placing
little of the calcium in a gopher bur
y row. In the Flathead county tests .
burriws were treated or n ranch
7 81 on another and 10 on another. OBJ
l servation trips on the day following
8 the placing of the poison disclose'
. one dead gopher at the entrance OF
. burrow and numerous blow Tile
around the other also indicating tina
g the poison had done its work. In
second day after the placing OF TN
D poison the holes were sealed up Wit
earth and were inspected ten day
lo+er On one of the ranches ever
10 hole was found just as it had bee
= 10 DAYS before, indicating 100 pc
" cent effectiveness. On the farm VII
10 burrows treated, Is were foun
20 s+iII sealed after the allotted 10 day
10 With only one burrow showing an
N signs Of life. -
Farmers in Flathead county WI
have been watching the tests WEI
gratified at the results and feel COZ
Ii 6dant that a new and effective metz
% cd of handling the gopher probe
hoe been found. County Agent Nj
Kee is planning further tests !
demonstrate the value of the calcium
% cyanide treatment.
M Corn on the Increase
Commenting on the increase IN COZ
Growing in Montana, a recent artic
AZ bv tho limited States Department
Agriculture states; Montana o''
crop increased to S65,OOO acres 900
1923 from 1000 acres planted in lSO
Among the important factors Orln =
ing about this rapid increase are ~ :,
ks need of farmers for homegrown II
so stock feed; the Importance OF a tlii'
.ron in the rotation to control weeo
- ol-Tot1lf1r2l eXDC