The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1931-02-27
STATE COLLEGE
WEEKLY LETTER

trials at the Huntley Experimental.
Farm, according to Louis Vinke
head of the animal husbandry de
partment at Montana State col
lege.
Barley and alfalfa proved made
quate for finishing lambs in Mon
tana, but several combinations of
grains, alfalfa hay and beet by
products showed very encouraging
results. The trials showed definite
ly that sheepmen with ready ac-
cess to beet pulp can make more
profit by fattening their lambs
here than by shipping them to
other sections of the country, ac-
cording to Mr.. Vinke.
Another significant fact proved
by the experiments was that
wheat Is superior to corn as a
%fattening ration. Hard wheat, soft
wheat, and corn, each supplement-
ed with beet pulp and alfalfa hay
were fed to three different lots
of lambs with soft wheat showing
the greatest profit over lamb and
feed cost. Soft wheat resulted in
a profit of S1.34, hard wheat $1.32
and corn S1.23.
To test the value of cottonseed
cake this feed was used in the
trials in conjunction with barley,
pulp and alfalfa. Gains, costs and
selling price were increased but
not the financial returns. The ad-
dition of molasses to the same ra-
tion increased gains, the cost of
gains and reduced the profits.
The two trials were conducted
with beet tops, barley and alfalfa.
The result was less finished and
less profits than where barley and
alfalfa made up the ration.
Potato Advice
The practice of planting any
kind of potatoes, good and bad,
and the same indifference in car
ing for them will lead to disaster,
says F. M. Harrington, extension
horticulturist. Grow either seed
or commercial potatoes and grow
them right, is his advice.
Only a limited number of indi-
viduals situated in favorable sec
tfons of the state car grow seed
potatoes successfully according to
the horticulturist. The market de-
mands for seed potatoes are limit
ed and only high quality potatoes
will find a sale.
The market for seed potatoes
in Montana has been built up by
the growers of commercial pota-
toes in other sections Of the coun-
try getting better success by the
changing of seed every year. This
is a special market, and hard TO
hold because of the keen competi-
ton for it. Montana growers who
have made contracts with these
out-of-state growers have been alb
lie to hold them only because they
did seed improvement work, were
constant in tuber-uniting, tuber in
dexing, rogueing. grew their pro-
duct according to approved prac-
tees, handled it properly and grad
carefully. The grower who prac-
tees these methods will be sue
.cessful, according to Mr.. Harring-
ton.
The commercial grower has a
much wider demand to satisfy.
The United States annually con-
sumes zoe, 600 r of this type of
potatoes and the market require
ments for this trade are not so
exacting as they are for seed po-
The grower who gets high
quality potatoes at low unit cost
can successfully compete in this
market, says Mr.. Harrington.
Poultry Outlook
Present prices for eggs and the
future outlook demand that 1881
pouftrymen have only high. pro-
hens in their flocks, says
A. E. Cushman, extension
poultry specialist at Montana State
college.
Attention now should be direct
ed toward getting high quality
says the specialist. Once
they are secured, the poultryman
IS on his way toward a we'll estab-
Iished enterprise.
Insist on only high quality
chicks" says Miss Cushman.
have a grade they call
cheap" and another consisting of
Dedigreed chicks from a line of
leavy producers. The cheap"
chick will be limited to a produc-
ion ranging from 100 to 125 eggs
annually. The pedigreed chick will
grow into a layer with a produc- I
ion of $50 to 200 eggs annually. {
The spread in price is only about
10 cents and in view of the pro- &
possibilities of the pedi-
creed chick, the Cheap" chick is {
90 expensive. J
1t makes little difference wheth- :
or the pedigrecd chick is Matched |
lnder the hen, in an incubator OF T
n a hatchery as long as they are E