Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-09-16
M'KEE GIVES SOME
FARMADVCE
AGgtONOMIST DISCUSSES WEATHER
AND FROST PROBABILITY AS
HARVEST F-.OBLENf6
Early Cutting VIII Not Always Prevent
Frost Damage to Grain In Shock, Says
Expert; Frosted Standing Grain Should
Be Cut at Once

The unusually early frost that hit
some of the southern Montana Oun
tain valleys last week, and the CEN
tinuati0n Of wet weather, have caused
grave concern among the farmer OF
these area. With one Of the best
crops in years in sight, grain "
are In the position of having to decide
whether to cut carly In spite Of wet
ness n immatur1ty, or to take q
chance on possible warm weather later.
In answer to many requests on thLS
subject, Clyde Mckee, axronomist at
Montana State college, gives the follow
Ing advice:
Under normal conditions, early cut
ting OF wheat Is not to be recommended
due to the fact that harvesting prema-
turely Invariably decreases the yield Of
grain and lowers the test weight per
bushel which means a lower grade for
the crop when sold.
Problem Confronts Farmers
"A considerable acreage OF spring wheat
in the. higher parts Of Montana is in
danger OF being frosted before 1t be-
comes fully mature. In view of this fact,
raany farmers are wondering whether to
take a chance on the wheat ripening nor
mally In the field or to harvest the grain
while still immature and let 1t cure In
the shock.
Two problems confront the growers
OF spring wheat who have not yet har-
vested their crops.
Il. .Whas effect has early cutting on
wheat which has not been frosted?
q. Should grain which has been
frosted be harvested Immediately or is
1t best to lilo 1t to stand for a few days
before cutting?
Early Harvesting
FOL years many growers OF spring
VneAt have made q mora Or 1occ rnn,vpnn
practice of harvesting their crops q little
on the green side Of ripe. claiming that
the grain shrinks but little and has q
better color. This year, spring wheat has
not ripened rapidly, with the result that
many fields in the central part of Mon
tana are still quite green at q time when
danger OF frost is approaching. From
the experience of the past, 1T is believed
that most farmers who have spring wheat
still unharvested, will cut 1t Just as
soon as the crop has matured sufficiently
to cure readily in the shock.
However, cutting and shocking of i'm
mature wheat will not always prevent
frost damage. If a heavy frost occurs
soon after harvesting and before the
wheat has had an opportunity to dry
the kernels may show the characteristic
wrinkling sufficiently to grade as sample
grade according to federal standards.
1t Is generally agreed hat harvest
ing wheat a little on the green side and
curing 1T in good sized shocks, produces
wheat superior to that which is allowed
to become fully ripe before harvesting.
Harvesting Frosted Whea
Studies conducted with frosted wheat
at the Montana Grain Inspection labora-
tory at Bozeman indicate that whea
which does not contain in excess of AZ
per cent moisture at the time frost &C.
ours. is capable Of producing as good
bread as normal wheat harvested at the
same time. At this time, wheat is In the
stiff dough stage or at a stage when II
can be cut in accordance with genera
farm practice. The test weight per bushe'
at this stage Is about equal to tina at
tanned at maturity in many wheats
| Wheat frosted at this moisture content
may show a percentage of damaged ker-
nels high enough to cause 1t to class as
sample grade according to the federal
grades for wheat.
wv. o. Whitcomb. who had charge oil
these studies. states that when wheat has
been affected by a killing frost, it should
be harvested as soon as possible in Or
der to obtain the highest yield and
weight per bushel. AT Bozeman, whea
allowed to stand in the field after being
frosted, decreased in both yield and test
| weight per bushel. However, If the freez.
ing occurred when the wheat was SO i'm
mature that large numbers Of green
kernels were present. allowing the wheat
to stand for a week or more before cut
ting resulted. in the green color being
replaced in part by the more natura
brown color of normal wheat.
THE protein content Of frosted wheat
does not appear to be different from thai
Of normal wheat grown under the sam
conditions.
THE greener portions of frosted fields
should not be mixed with the. ripper whea
In threshing as It Will tend to lower thu
grade and price Of the wheat from thu
entire field. 1t would be better not Il
cut the wheat In low places where frost
injury is severe or TO cut 1t for feed
than to thresn It and mix it with the
balance Of the field which has not beer
frosted"