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Show FORAGE CROPS FOR WESTERrFARMERS By L. A. MERRILL, Director Extension Exten-sion Division Utah Agricultural College. Oregon Short Lino Railroad Demonstration Dem-onstration Train Lecture. In discussing the subject of forage crops, I propose doing it in the widest Bense, including any food suitable for horses, catile. sheep or swine. The subject will include particularly pasture pas-ture grasses, soiling and fodder crops, and it is my purpose to particularly emphasize the importance of some of the crops with which our west'-Tii j farmers are not familiar. We shall necessarily have to limit ourselves to a discussion of those crops that have been tested at our experiment stations sta-tions and by successful farmers and found to be of practical value, since In tho grass family alone there are more than 3,500 species. As I read the history of agriculture of this and other nations, I am impressed im-pressed with the fact that the permanent perma-nent prosperity of any country is dependent de-pendent very largely upon the emphasis em-phasis placed upon pastures and hay crops. Pastures feed mankind; they are the bed-rock of civilization. There Is always something alluring In an agriculture based specially on permanent perma-nent things like meadow and pastures, pas-tures, that do not let fields wash and erode; that maintain and build fertility; fer-tility; that make possible the higher types of agriculture based on keeping animals, or making milk for babes, wool for soft garments or TiorsPs for the use of man. Although we live in a comparatively comparative-ly new section of country, our agriculture agri-culture in these mountain valleys is already advanced far enough to give a number of examples showing the difference between a system of farming that includes pastures and grasses, and a system that Involves the production of sugar beets, potatoes, pota-toes, grain or fruit crops only. In the growing of these crops we are continually taking from the soil those elements of fertility that are absolutely abso-lutely essential for the growth of plants, and without which the soil is worthless. In the growing of grasses for pasturage or for hay when fed upon the farm, we return to the soil those elements, of fertility and the Bupply is at least maintained, and by a -wise system of husbandry, even increased in-creased year by year. In this western country where our farmers have turned their attention to the production of grasses and forage for-age crops, they have been scarcely able to place a limit on the number of live stock they are able to maintain, and amount of live stock products they are able to produce. Our irrigated lands are particularly adapted to grass for forage crop production, pro-duction, because of the abundance of those plant foods necessary for their growth, particularly lime, potash and phosphates, and because of the assurance assur-ance of supplying moisture just at the time needed. It is encouraging to the western farmer to realize that with the adoption of a proper system of cropping, one acre here can be made to do the work of three or four acres in the middle west, or even fifteen or twenty acres in the southwest. I have seen three cows pasture on a single acre of upland pasture in Utah from May until November, and in the east have observed that it is necessary neces-sary to have from three to four acres to pasture one cow for the same length of time. Our pastures need never become dry or parched, but under un-der a proper system can be kept constantly con-stantly green and succulent. Land for the Pasture. It is a mistaken notion to suppose that the poorest part of the farm should be given over to pastures. Often times the rooky hill side is used for this purpose, and we too frequently fre-quently fail to take into account the fact that the pasture can be made the most important part of the farm. For this reason the best and most convenient con-venient part of the farm will in a good farm practice, be selected for this purpose. The land should be well drained. If not, we must see that It is tiled, or open ditches provided, pro-vided, so that stagnant water may be drawn away. We should appreciate the fact that in preparing the land for the pasture grasses we are preparing pre-paring it for a number of years. It is important, therefore. that considerable attention be paid to proper leveling so that there may be no difficulties in the way of irrigation. Then, too, the land F.hould be prepared some time before we expect ex-pect to do the seeding. The soil must settle together so that the proper functions of the soil can be carried on. The seed bed must be extremely fine. When one examines the seed of any of our grasses or clovers, it must be readily understood that there is very little nourishment stored away, and the young and tender plant must soon begin to draw upon the soil for its nourishment. Time of Seeding. In the east long experience has shown that the fall is the best time for seeding. Repeated experiments here, however, have demonstrated that on irrigated land we secure best results by spring seeding. If the land is prepared the previous fall the seed can bo sown very early in it he spring, and the plants w)l become well established estab-lished before the hot dry weather begins. be-gins. It should be remembered that one can hardly sow grass seed too early in the spring. j The Mixture to Select. Many of the grass mixtures given out by the seed houses are silly conglomerations, con-glomerations, some of which are mado up of a few good varieties and then poor ones thrown in simply to throw chaff into the eye of the customer. cus-tomer. However, there are many advantages ad-vantages in mixtures rather than single seed. Some grasses start very early in the spring, while others do not begin until late in the summer, and there are scarcely tw6 grasses that have the same tine of growth, liy combining them we have, therefore, there-fore, a constant succession of fresh succulent grasses. The evil in a mix-ture mix-ture is that sometimes there is in it a grass of inferior quality, and that one will be neglected and tho others grazed, so that after a time the inferior in-ferior grass is left in the ascendancy. I have tested a number of different mixtures on various soils and hava found the following mixtures ol grasses an excellent one for the in-' termountain sections: Kentucky Blue Grass sown at tho rate of G pounds per acre. Perennial Rye Grass sown at the rate of 7 pounds per acre. Meadow Fescue sown at the rate of 3 pounds per acre. Rod Clover sown at the rate of 2 pounds per acre. Rep Top sown at the rate of 6 pounds per acre. Orchard Grass sown at the rate of 3 pounds per acre. White Clover sown at the rate of 2 pounds per acre. Alfalfa sown at the rate of 2 pounds per acre. This mixture is adapted to well drained soils, and has been tested uy a great many farmers in these sections sec-tions with excellent results. For light sandy soils the following mixture mix-ture is recommended: Kentucky Blue Grass sown at the rate of 8 pounds per acre. Meadow Fescue sown at the rate of 6 pounds per acre. Tall Meadow Oats sown at the rate of 5 pounds per acre. Brome Grass sown at the rate of 5 pounds per acre. White Clover sown at the rate of 2 pounds per acre. Where lands aro low and moist and where drainage is not possible, the following mixture of grasses has given good results: Perennial Rye Grass sown at the rate of 8 pounds per acre. Red Top sown at the rate of 10 pounds per acre. Rhode Island Bent eown at the rate of 4 pounds per acre. Meadow Fescue sown at the rate of 2 pounds per acre. Timothy sown at the rate of 2 pounds per acre. Alsjke Clov sown at the rate of 2 pounds per acre. White Clover sown at the rate of 2 pounds per acre. It may be thought that we have used here a very large amount of seed. In practice, however, it Is nearly impossible to get a perfect distribution dis-tribution of seeds, and equally impossible impos-sible to get them covered uniformly so that one can count only on a very small percentage of germination. In seeding grasses it is extremely Important Im-portant to get the seed evenly distributed. Ordinarily one gets the best results with the use of. those seeders with wing discs that throw the machine on either side, the men walking and turning the seed by hand. The wheelbarrow seeder also gives good results. Drills, of course, are most efficient, but care must be taken to prevent getting the seed too deep. Blue grass especially, requires; the very lightest covering. I know, too, many farmers who advise seeding these grasses always with a nurso crop. If he will sow one bushel to the acre of spring barley, selecting a short strawed strong variety that will not lodge and then cut early, ho will be providing shade for the youn; grasses and can almost absolutely depend de-pend upon success. It will be observed after a year or two that some of the grasses are increasing in-creasing and some are becoming ex. tinct. It will be found, therefore, a wise practice early in the spring as the snow is disappearing, to plant the seed of those grasses that are disappearing disap-pearing and then to loosen the grass sod by the use of a sharp tooth harrow. har-row. It is a mistake to feel that tho pasture does not need fertilization. Pasture should be covered at least every other year with a coating of well rotted barnyard manure, and this thoroughly thor-oughly harrowed so as to give even, distribution, early in the spring. As a rule we have a few days in February Febru-ary when this work can be done to advantage. Another mistake in handling hand-ling pastures is to give the animals the free use of the entire pasture. The best practice demands that there shall be at least two or three fields to avoid close grazing. The cattle should be kept out of on? field while it is being irrigated, and the grass allowed to obtain a good start. BJ changing cattle around in different fields, there is less waste with the grasses and there is a decided advantage ad-vantage gained by way of permitting the grasses to get a good start. I am very strongly of the opinion that pastures seeded along the lines suggested here will he the most prof itable part of the farm. (Concluded next week) |