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Show THE UINTAH BaSIN FABMEK 8 A Balanced Agriculture For The Uintah Basin By E. PETERSON, Uintah County Agent We speak with pride of our Great planning the future cropping sysInland Empire and its wonderful re- tem. Grains. sources and the great things which Other There are several other grains of have been accomplished by its sturdy minor importance which under cerpeople. The writer has a wholesome tain conditions might be grown to respect for the great people who advantage, among them are rye, have pioneered this country, so it is speltz, erniner, grain sorghums and flax. hoped that anything that may be Varieties. said in this article will not in anyIt should be kept in mind that way be considered as a refleciio'i on there are different varieties of each what they have done. which have been deFor many years there has been a kind of grain, to meet certain conditions veloped steady increase, not only in popu- so it is very important that we raise lation, but in livestock and poultry varieties which are best adapted as well, and our people have not the conditions. our to always taken into account the imThe varieties of wheat which balportance of maintaining a well anced agriculure, which is so im- have proven most successful in the portant in a country isolated as we Basin areas Turkey Red, Kanred and winter varieties. Dicklow, are here. It appears to the writer Kharkof that a well balanced agricultural jNew Zealand, Bluestem and Marquis program should be worked out by are the leading spring varieties. the farmers and closely followed in These varieties all have their merits, order to supply our local needs and but the Turkey Red for the winter have a profitable surplus to market. and the Dicklow for spring seem to be the varieties most favored. Wheat for Man. Several varieties of corn have has As food for man, no grain ever ben produced, which can right- been tried with good success, but ly be used as a substitute for wheat, the Minnesota No. 13 and Bloody therefore, enough of it should be Butcher have generally given the Both are good silo produced each year to, at least, sup- best yields. We are ad- varieties. Minnesota No. 13 is grown ply our local needs. vised by our millers, that the pro- more extensively than any other varduction of wheat this year is seventy iety. Swedish Select is the most popufive per cent below what is reAllar for local variety of oats grown in this consumption. quired section It has given the best yields this since harvest, large years ready quaniities of flour have been ship- of which we have any record. Trebi Barley, where planted this ped in from outside markets at tremendous cost to consumers, and the year, was successful and gives promregrettable thing is that the con- ise of being the leading variety used sumers are often the farmers. Grand- in the future. It is always advisable when in ma Bartlett of Vernal, says, Every farmer should raie some wheat re- doubt, to consult some one who gardless of market conditions. There knows which varieties of grain do is a place on every farm and in ev- best under the particular conditions ery plan of rotation for some wheat. which prevails in your neighborThis good old lady has had about hood. as much experience in this country Importance of Good Seed. After the variety has been decided as anyone; she knows that changes come very rapidly and that wheat upon the most important thing is will strike a balance every time, so to get good seed, all of which has when we find ourselves producing been grown under similar conditions only twenty-fiv- e per cent of the as those which prevail where the Our best auamount of wheat we need, it might seed is to be planted. 40 us seritell that to some thorities advice well be per cent of give her ous consideration. the corn seed which is planted in the Oats. great state of Iowa never germinThe same may be said of ates. the best for Undoubtedly grain other many grains, so it is extremehorses at hard work is oats and that germination tests ly important when the therefore, planning crop? for next year, place should be given be made to determine the per cent for enough oats to take care of this of seed which may be expected to need. It must not be overlooked growr, some time before the seed is that oats is also a very valuable planted. Of course nearly all farm-es- r know that it is very essential cereal to use as a mixture in the ration for cows, poultry and nearly all to clean all seed before it is planted, because if this is not done serious young growing livestock. weed troubles will be started on the Corn. farm. condition which It has been demonstrated that corn should notAnother be overlooked, especially can be profitably produced in any in wheat and oats, ig that planting of Basin has where the part farming of treating the seed for smut. been carried on to any great extent. Seed and Forage. Alfalfa As a feed for milk cows, poultry, A new industry has sprung up in hogs and practically all fattening the Basin almost over night and we animals corn takes first rank. Since know how it all scarcely happened, this is primarily a livestock produc- but it is to untold bringing blessings is valcorn a section and such ing of farmers who previous to hundrcls uable feed it should require no fui its were merely elceing out ther argument to convert farmers to an advent, existence The writer has the the necessity of giving it more con- most towards the friendly feelings sideration. If every farmer had a siseed of alfalfa and realproduction lo the value of the corn crop could izes the of the ingreat possibilities easily be doubled, for when used as dustry. are however, some There silage the entire plant is stored farmers who, through lack of exaway in the best possible form for perience, have gone too far as the animal feed. saying is, and put all of their eggs Barley. in one basket. They have turned In sections where barley thrives all of their attention to the producmore of it should be grown, because tion of alfalfa seed and in some casit is an excellent feed for almost es some misfortune has happened any kind of livestock and when which cut the yield so low that it properly chopped or rolled will fit was hardly worth at the in with almost any grain mixture to same time wiping harvesting, out their hope of It is a very good sub- profit. In such events the advantage. stitute for corn in any livestock, or had no return from seed producer and he poultry ration. Barley fits in a could not produce a hay crop. It system cf rotation very well and appears, therefore, that it would be should be given consideration when a wiser plan for every farmer to There are a number of good bulls in the Basin which have served their time with their present owners and should by all means be passed onim-to someone else who wishes to Another prove their dairy herds. proin Increasing fact important of feeding. proper duction is that It is equally important with proper breeding. We cannot expect cows to produce a maximum flow of milk if they are not properly fed and protected from the cold winds and storms which prevail all during the Another importfall and winter. ant matter which the farmers should be interested in is that of a good market, and there is no better way to get a good market than to A great produce a good article. deal could be said along this line but time and space will not permit but suffice to say that if we have clean sheds and barns, clean cows and clean hands and use the sania long tary milk pail it will gosatisfac-ora towards producing ways market. Other Livestock. There is a place on nearly every farm for a few well bred sheep which will aid materially in keeping the farm clean from bad weeds. It is the writers opinion that every farm should produce its own pork and have a small surplus to sell. This means that there should be one well bred sow on every farm. A few more good draft horses and also saddlers could profitably This is a raised in the Basin. matter that should be given a little more consideration. Poultry. The Uintah Basin is becoming famous for her poultry and since we have gained one enviable position our good name should by all means b maintained. It may be to know to the reader interesting that the turkey industry has increased by leaps and bounds during the In 1922 two past three seasons. car loadg of dressed turkeys were shipped out of the state from UinThis year, 1924, ten tah Basin. car loads has been shipped and there is a demand for several times this number. Due to the fact that our turkeys reached the outside market we have become known as a turnd the big key growing section :s way for a buyers are lookinr Another portion of their sup poultry industry which threatens to equal the turkey is that of capon. Farmers are becoming more interested each year and it is only a matter of time until we will be shipping several car loads of capons to the big markets. Plan for Coming Season. The reasons for writing this article at the present time is to get farmers to making their plans for the coming season. Too often we find farmers putting off their plans until it is time to plant and then rush in and plant anything that is handy, with no thought of what the result might be. We feel that now during the time when there is no adverse work on the farm it is just when farmers should make most all their plans for the year. If this is done regularly we will soon see a wonderful improvement in the agriculture of the Uintah Basin. y I ! ! j E. PETERSON make sure that he is producing enough hay to meet the needs of his livestock and allow the balance to go to seed. This can very easily be done and the yield of alfalfa seed greatly increased. Another crop which should receive more consideration is that of Beets are a very good stock beets. substitute for ensilage and many people who have silos raise the beets as a supplement. Livestock and Poultry. Farming in the Uintah Basin could not be complete without livestock. We have thousands of acres of land which, can never be improved for agricultural purposes and, therefore, economy demands that we use it for Our range lands, however, grazing. could be greatly improved if we used a little more care in properly pasThe forest department turing it. has worked out some ideal plans for grazing the summer range, but very little has been done to conserve the fall and winter range. Eradicate the Rodents. One big problem before the livestock growers who utilize the bad lands is the prairie dog. It is estimated that six prairie dogs eat as much feed &s one sheep and thirty prairie dogs eat as much as one cow. These little rodents are busy all during the growing season eating up the feed that should be taken care of for the winter livestock range. When we think of the thousands of prairie dogs that are scattered over the bad lands it is no wonder that we notice the winter sheep range becoming depletd and in many sections practically useless. A concerted effort should be made in with the U. S. Biological survey next spring to poison these rodents. Dairying. There is room in the Uintah Basin for a great increase in the dairying This does not mean that industry. we need to increase the number of cows on the farm materially, but they should be greatly improved. Farmers are milkmg a great many cows that do not pay for their keep and no such animals should be kept on the farm. The dairy production can be easily doubled without increasing the number of dairy stock at all. This may be done by getting better individuals either by breeding or importing better stock. The writer is very much in favor of WThen answering advertisements improving our herds by breeding r.ease mention THE UINTAH BAS( them up. IN FARMER. |