Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-10-22

The time 10 plant crested wheat
grass Is between Sept. IS and
freeze-up In the late fall This Is
the information released recently
/ by Ralph ID. Mercer, extension ag-
economist, after making q check-up
| on the results Of experimental
studies at the Montana experiment
station plus the experience Of prac-
tieaI men who have been growing
crested wheafgrass In Montana. No
seed bed preparation Is required
other than drilling the crested
wheatgrass into the stubbEe or
abandoned farm land TO q depth
Of one inch or less. Fair results
can also be expected from dlsking
or narrowing In after br0adcastlng.
Recommended seeding rates are
three 70 five pounds per acre.
With the possibility of crested
wheatgraSS seed being much cheaper
this fall, ranchers viii have the OPP
portunity Of regrasstng abandoned dry
land at q reasonable cost. Because OF
these prospects Of cheaper seed In the
future, It win be advisable for those
planting crested wheatgrass to do so
with q view Of getting some return
from the forage and pasture value OF
crested wheatgrass. Although crested
wheatgrass win never replace, to any
extent, the use of native grass In live
stock operations In this area, it does
have considerable value when used in
its proper season.
For Abandoned Land
Crested wheatgraSs, Of course, be-
longs only on abandoned farm lands
which should be returned to grass and
where the native grass does not seem
TO be taking hold Because Of its ma
krs,-ea vxaahfv.ng kszrf ry1sTNxuff in fhe
early spring and then curing up dur
ing hot weather, It Is necessary TO use
this grass for pasture during the early
spring months Crested wheatgrass has
been observed to make enough growth
to furnish good grass from three TO
six weeks before the native grasses
start their growth. However, later in
the season, when the native grasses are
furnishing plenty Of green feed, crest
ed wheatgrass Is usually cured TO the
extent that it is not readily grazed by
livestock It also is able TO green up
again in the fall during cooler weather.
The experience Of B. @. seelye.
rancher on Little Pumpkin creek near
Volborg, in eastern Montana, substan-
tiates these facts. Seelye has approx
mately so acres Of crested wheatgrass,
planted in 1895. During the spring OF
1897 this field supplied grazing Tor
about SO head of cattle for approx
mately six weeks until rains came to
start the native grass.
Two Strains Grown
Again in 1888. the livestock chose 70
Craze the crested wheatgrass where 1t
was green in preference to the dry ma
tive grasses but as the season pro-
crossed they worked off on to the ma
tive grass. Later In the summer the
crested wheatgTass produced a good
volume of seed.
There are two strains Of crested
wheatgrass now being grown IN Mon
tana, Standard and Fairway. The
Standard strain is the one recommend
ed for eastern Montana since it win
make the greater volume of feed I'M
der weather and rainfall conditions
The Fairway strain Is adapted only
to the mountain territory where cn-
matte conditions are not so severe. It
makes q finer growth but under east
ern Montana conditions, only small
volume of feed can be expected. Ranch
ers planting crested wheatgrasS should
assure themselves that they get the
right variety.