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Show SEED 1ST BE CLEAN TO SELL Idaho Growers Find They Are Facing Troublesome Situation BOI9K, Ida . Dec n. Idaho seed growers face the necessity of producing produc-ing pure seed If they wish to find I market, according to statements by C. I P.. Ahlson. assistant field agronoml-' lof the university extension division, I I who says that, though the market Has I been open tp poor seed in the past, only those men are receiving any re-l i turns this season who are offering, products that are free from the seeds I Ol noxious Weeds Programs of Minidoka. Mini-doka. Twin Kalis. Jerome and Blng-1 ham county farm bureaus for fighting weeds, together with mention of the1 prevalence of weeds in Hoisp valley,' ,arc contained in Mr. Ahlson's state-1 tr.ent, which is as follows Heretofore the farmers of Idaho have not been placed In a position to j realize ths Importance of pure seed.; with particular reference to small s'-eds such ns clovers and alfalfa. The, producers of clean seed have not been . rewarded for the work necessary to! i keep their fields free from foul w edfl Why? Itecnusc during the last tew reasons rea-sons the demand and the competitive; bidding brought a high price for the foulest of foul seed lot. Under these j conditions there was no Incentive to j produce clean seed for other reasons i haji personal pride. Mi 91 III. CLE Mow Is the seed business (his year?) Only the men w ho hftVfl succeeded I" i producing nothing but seed thai is I dodder-free, buckhorn -f ree, and free from other noxious weeds are able to i receive any returns this season. I What Is to be done? Who is toi Iblame? The dealer und farmer are equally to blame the dealer, because he has paid the farmer exorbitant' prices for seed that is not fit to plant, and the farmer because he has not Insisted on pure, state-tested seed, but I has taken the chance of purchasing I seed from neighbors who have not se-j se-j cured a test and consequently could not give assurance that seed was fro from noxious weeds Before planting J a half pint sample, should be sent to the state seed laboratory, Boise, or, branch laboratory. Moscow, Idaho, foi analysis. Such analysis will reveal Whether the seed Is free from dodder, which Is the most noxious and diffl-. cull weed seed to find In a lot of al-, falfa or clover. The movement has been toward the production of clean seed. Idaho used '., i. the dumping ground for all fottli ,-i ' i and as a result this state has rtearlj every variety that is detriment-! tal to the seed Industry. I-ast year.' grades were established on clover and alfalta. Other states also are last re- fusing to heroine dumping grounds for, poor seed, and consequently only seed free from noxious weeds Is finding B market. Inspection of samples submitted to, . Miss Jessie C- Ayres, seed analyst state I ed laboratory, Boise, representing . ,4 .'. carloads of ClQVer and alfalfa seed i from Boise valley Showed that only! I l.r canoads were dodder free. In 'other words, fir. per cent of the farmers farm-ers had seed that the dealers refused; to consider buying at this time, j No noteworthy results can be obtained ob-tained until all will make a concerted 'effort lit waging war on our weed cue-, rules i m farmer may purchase stat tested seed, plant it on carefully pre-' (pared soil and then fall heir lo a flood' , of noxious weed seed, because his jnelghbors failed to clean the ditch jbanks ami Irrigation canals. Such results re-sults arc discouraging. Farmers should! (petition the county commissioners toi establish weed districts. The exterml-l nation of weeds Is as essential to pro-' fltable farming as the extermination of Jack rabbits and rodents. The weed 1 Hiestlon is becoming a serious prob-1 lem, as any clover or alfalfa grower' can tell you 'ins ear. ir this condition condi-tion la allowed to continue. Idaho will I no longer top the list in production of bright colored and high qualltj ' Sec (I. u ri i distrh i - Weed districts were established by the county commissioners In two coun-' ties this year. Thr establishing of a district makes it compulsory for the' farmer within the designated area to j destroy the weeds. Ditch kinks werel it. need and stocked with sheep and as' a consequence no seeds matured on! these enclosures to be disseminated I i through he various ditches and cauaN , j Grove r Burnett, county agrx ultural agent, held weed excursions during the, growing season, thus acquainting the termer with the many common and' QOZlOUS weeds. Prof R, K Bonnett j of th university and Miss Jessie C. Ayres state seed analyst, spent a cou-nii. cou-nii. ,.r ay a a Ira i il.o ri..i.i. i.iAi;r,.ini,l ed and explaining methods of eradication era-dication to farmers who attended th j excursions and were Interested In producing pro-ducing better crops. Bxi ursions were also held In Twin Falls county with credible results. This ' lib took first and second In alfalfi seed -'nd first in r-d clover seed at I the international n.ls ,,,H Grain show at Chicago. Nov. 21, to Dec 4 OnlS seed frep from weeds could receive such rating. Tin- results obtained bj establishing weed districts have been very commendable. The campaign should and will be far more extensive this coming year One of county Agent H, G. A.verys principal projects for this coming year' In Jerome county will be the working j out of an extensive weed pjogium 1 Tins v. ill Include the fencing of ditch banks and slocking the enclosures with sheep an economical as well as a profitable method of destroying, weeds. Cooperation In the production of a' I standard product facilitates marketing This has been demonstrated m two sections this year with alfalfa The' growers Of common alfalfa In the West Point district, Gooding county,' realised L8 cents a pound several pents above market price, on two cirload lots. Only pur.- seed filled the order The Grimm alfalfa growers of Hing- ham county, he 'ir;.-'! territory In the countrj devoted to 'be production of true-to-type genuine Crlmm alfalfa need, i' i pari pt i heli rop aud realised re-alised T'O cents ,i pound on 122,000 pounds This seed was purchased by! rspi sentatli Michigan llllnol .ind New York Farm bureaus The, marl. . ". as qUOl ed 1 2 per pound Thi'-r farmers have kept their section free from noxious ureeds and consequently readily find a mar-, k( Cooperation li neceasaf: from .ery viewpoint. The hi i d laboi md agronomy partni i the university . xtenslon , division are established to give lnfor-j mat Ion i 'i 1 1 nia v be l:, .(.n ia n,i nei try In combating the crop destroy- 13 i . Shei h.iu, i eld agi onom 1 1 , published bulletin on Dodder In ha which available and can be had by writing the Boise offi. e. |
