The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1928-01-27
MONTANA LOOKS TO
WINTER WHEAT AND
OTHER SMALL GRAINS


Helena 100000 acres of land
seeded to winter wheat this fall. an
increase of 2896 over last years plan
ing and a 1927 production record OF
3,750000 bushels, the 18th largest
production in the nation, and with an
exhibit of Montana hard red winter
wheat winning the worlds sweep
stakes at the International Grain and
Hay Show, Montana looks to winter
wheat and fall sowed grains in gen
eral to become one of tn emainstays
of future agricultural development.
This year Montana farmers planted
more winter wheat than ever before,
even in the boom years of 1915 1911
when $4,000 acres was the record set
in 1915. Acreages steadily reduced
through the next ten years to a little
over 100000 acres in 1922 due to re-
peated failures in some of the heavi-
est producing territories.
Students of Montana agricultural
conditions aver that dependable whit
er wheat crops would go a long way
toward forming a solution to the
problems Of the dry land farmer, but
dependable crops would mean that
loss from winter killing and soil blow
! ing could be eliminated. Until re-
Gently there was no successful method
of eliminating these losses. Now,
however, both in central Montana and
in the triangle" farmers declare that
an agency for eliminating losses iii
winter wheat has been definitely es-
tablishe6 in the "furrOw drill". CAL
ternate summer following and plant
ing with the furrow drill" is declared
by Montana experiment stations to
be the way to produce successful whit
er wheat crops in this state. In view
of this conclusion and of the increas-
ing interest over the state in fall sow
ed grains, a description of the furoow
drill, it's use and how it works is OF
interest to Montana people who would
keep posted on the progress of the
Treasure State, says the state publici
ty office.
ga furrow drip, says Clyde Mckee
of the Montana extension service, 81!
one which has been designed so as tt
plant the grain in burrows which art
deeper and farther apart than thost
made with the Ordinay drill On mos
: kinds of furrow drills the discs ar,
: arranged so as to space the rows from
| IL to II inches apart. The furrOwins
r is accomplished by single disc set a
a sharper angle than usual or by tw,
: discs which are arranged so as t,
3 throw the soil in opposite directions
: The seed is deposited in the furroy
4 thus ade and is covered with abou
Y two inches of soil.
o The furrow drill is used to accom-
r plish the following results: To re
o duce winter killing by protecting tn
5 sede from exposure to frost, to re
: duce injury due to drifting soil whic
/ often dislodges the seed or youn
e plants when the ordinary drill is useC
l. to gain the fullest benefit from snow
o by holding snow in the burrows, t
e render the temperature of the see
l. bed more even by protecting the see
from alternate freezing and thawin,
d to hasten the emergence of the whet
in the fall by giving the seed MOI
favorable moisture conditions. TT
furrOw drill has been found by tes
to procure to a greater or lesser e.
a tent of the foregoing results and [
increase the yield of winter grains
reducing losses from winter injury.
n Extensive tests have been made {
the furrOw drill method in centr;
y Montana which is the heaviest prC
Queer of winter wheat at present an
Y IN the north-central counties whic
Will this year come close to rivalin
q their southern neighbors. Both Sc
er lions now believe that winter whe;
is can be made a reliable crop and hay
1t demonstrated their faith in this b.
l. lief by their increased seedlings tn
IS fall.
ID Conditions of both winter wbe;
and rye is exceptionally good at pre-
D. ent, wheat being 900 of a norm
to and rye $3.50, according to the Unite
Id States division of crop estimates. r.
Is ports from the state-federal depar
ments of agriculture say that there
re evident general increase in the acr
re age devoted to winter wheat, espe
r laiIy IN the regions in which loss fro
l. winter killing has been greatest. Re-
I'd sons for this are the improved know
g ledge of cultural methods, the high,
to yield per acre of winter wheat ov,
Of spring wheat, and the advantage
lr having some fall grown grain in Il
Of cropping plan.
in The heavy snow covering now ge1
lie eral over Montana should serve
r protect the winter grains from Wi
RS ter killing and insure moisture f,
s. early spring growth and give pror
of Use OF harvest of winter wheat ne,
n summer considerably larger than tn
ly years.
IS.