The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-10-16

grounds, IN which we test, side by
side, under identical conditions, trials
Of all the crops we grow, as well ~
trials Of the varieties grown by other.
seedsmen. Lt is the results Of these
tests that determine which OF our.
stocks shall be used for seed for
planting again. Only those which
prove themselves to be most prolific
and the nearest to an absolutely pure
stock are saved for this purpose. 1t
is here that we try out new selections
and test hybrid or crossed peas for
merit thev may possess over the var
ieties already in use, and it is here
that we prove by tests, which Of our
/ selections in the known varieties are
most worthy Of increase. It is our
policy to bring out a new stock Of
each Of the main varieties on the av-
erage Of every two or three years.
In this way we keep our stocks as
nearly pure as possible with a mini
mum Of the field work we call rogue
ing.
'The seed growing companies con-
tract with the farmer growers for 0
certain agreed acreage to be planted
with seed furnished by the company.
The grower agrees to plant, irrigate,
harvest and thresh the crop on the
basis Of an agreed price per pound
for the seed after first deducting the
seed furnished. The seed company
has field men who supervise the grow
ing crop, advising the growers as 70
the proper time to plant, irrigate and
harvest. In addition to this the COM
panies keep their stocks pure. at their
own expense. This is done by sending
crews Of men into the growing field
to remove the mixed or off type
plants. This work is called rogueing.
The workers are roguers, and the
plants they remove are called rogues.
Fifteen to twenty men constitute q
crew, and about two hundred men are
employed at this work during the
summer months. Those of you who
get down on Main Street, on the way
to your morning golf, around six
thirty on summer mornings will have
seen these workers gathering on the
various corners waiting to be taken
to the fields by the seed company
trucks.
Valuable Industry s.
"After being threshed and delivered
to the seed companies the seed is first
run. several times over mills Of large
capacity to remove the dirt and brOk-
en- grains. Every bushel must then
go to the picking rooms where sorters
remove the discolored, broken andnon-
vital seeds. These workers also Be-
move seed Of other varieties that
have become mixed into the crop in
threshing or handling. There are
from four to five hundred women and
girls employed from September u
April at this work in BOzeman. They
are, most Of them, local people, many
of them supporting themselves and
families through this work. They
work in well lighted rooms that ans
kept warm and well ventilated. They
are on duty eight hours per day Watf
a ten minute recess morning and al.
ternoon and a half hour off on Satpr.
day afternoons, making a fOrty-sr
hour week. The maximum wage i
=. S14.4O per week and many Of then
(, earn that amount. Others earn il
I proportion, depending on the worl
, they accomplish. The average wage O
all women workers is around $3.50
, week. Male labor is paid a minimum
of $500 per eight hour day.
| AFTER passing over the picking
: tables the seed goes to the sacBinl
! bins where it is weighed in two bush
ell bags. It is then shipped in ca
lots to Gamer customers, who, mex
? season, have their growers plant thi
seed to grow a crop to be cut gree
and run through viners and the gree
peas canned, a process with which 70
are all familiar through the operation