Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1934-07-14
WHEATGRASS HAS
PROVED SUCCESS
TWO TRIAL FIELDS HAVE DEvEL-
OPED INTO PROFITABLE UNDER
TAKNGS SINCE 1917
tfONTANA STATE COLLEGE,

fMONJANA STATE COLLEGE)
On the farms Of ID. C. Violet Of
Harlem and Albert Sim0ns Of Turn
err Is found the most convincing
proof that crested wheatgrass is the
most certain, most persistenf and the
most adaptable grass for pasture or
regrassing range that has been dis
covered TO date" says Sam Sloan, ex-
tension agr0nOmist at Montana State
college.
This sweeping statement is made not
because crested wheatgrass has sur
vived the recent protracted drouth but
because it was planted more than IS
years ago, has survived every drOuth
since that time, has never been re-
planted and actually Is better today
than it was when first planted. The
evidence behind the statement is still
on the two farms mentioned Sloan
says.
Violet and Simons were introduced
to crested wheatgrasS in about 1917,
when the late A. j. Ogaard, extension
agronomist at Montana State college
at that time acquired small amount
of the seed which he desired to have
tested in Montana He gave Violet
and Sinlons a handful each, mention
ing the possibilities Of the grass. Proud
to have the first sample Of the seed
ever tested in the state, but skeptical
Of the extravagant claims, Simons
planted his In a garden plot and Violet
in his yard. Today Simons says he
"weeded his first seeding Of crested
wheatgrass by hand, like onions" Yio-
lett was equally careful.
The second year after planting the
crested wheatgraSs was ready to be cut
for seed Both Violet and Simons cut
their plots with scythe and failed out
the seed by hand This seed went into
q larger field and was planted In rows.
These two row-fields are producing
seed today and never have been re-
planted. Instead Of being IN rows as
when originally planted. the grass has
spread out until 1t covers the ground In
a SOLID mat. There Of course was no
wedding by hand after the first year.
When Simons harvested his first crop
OF crested wheatgrass seed, he pre-
scented a small quantity to one Of his
neigi1bors. This neighbor, according
10 Sloan mixed this seed with slender
wheatgrass, sweet clover and bronze
grass and planted the mixture. This
same field is growing today and con-
stitutes one Of the most convincing
proofs of crested wheatgrass' super
iortty. The slender wheatgrass, sweet
clover and bronze grass killed out years
ago while the crested wheatgTass has
flourished.
Alfalfa, which is sometimes called
the queen of all forage crops in Mon
tana, has been grown in the state for a
number Of years. In spite Of Il being
improved over that long period OF time
under Montana conditions, 1T Is neces-
sary TO reseed it about every seven
years. Crested wheatgrass evidently
has the ability TO persist indefinitely,
Judging by Violet and Simons who
have the longest established stands.
w. II. Reed Of Turner also hes plot
which has pointed out a use for crest
ed wheatgraSs, Sloan believes. Unable
TO get lawn started Reed tried crest
ed wheatgrass he planted this last
spring and In short time had such q
nice growth he let IL grow. Today it Is
Is inches high and soon win be cut for
seed TO provide him with enough 70
start q larger field.
There Is no record Of crested wheat
grass having every been killed By
drouth. Violet and Slmons have found
this record borne out by their exper-
ience. The only time when failure Is
possible Is when the grass IS Ia the
seeding stage It does require good
conditions to get started. but once
started. there apparently Is no fear of
it ever killing out because Of drouth. /"
Sloan says.
A ,,cos. -. ys.,,t a., MASKING wS,en