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Show raising new grains ! Prof. Buffum Establishes Seed Breeding Farm. His Most Important Experiments Have Been With Emmer Useful as Feed for Fattening Cattle, Horses and Swine. During the past few years agriculture agricul-ture has probably been developed with more rapidity in the northwest than in any other part of the country- This is due in part to the activities of the government reclamation service and to private enterprise in providing water wa-ter with which to irrigate what were before large tracts of arid lands. J?'or the most part thesi'j lands have been settled by experienced farmers from the rain belts. With the opening of the Big Horn Basin to settlers by reason of the several irrigation projects, Prof. B. C. Buffum established near Worland a plant and seed breeding farm, writes Robert Bonewell in the Country Gentleman. Gen-tleman. Mr. Buffum is strictly a product of the west and for several years prior to establishing his experiment experi-ment farm was an instructor in the agricultural colleges of both Colorado and Wyoming. During his experimental experimen-tal work at the state stations he became be-came convinced that he had discovered discov-ered the proper methods of improving improv-ing and producing new grains. After carefully examining the different sections sec-tions of the west he chose the present pres-ent site of his operations for the reason rea-son that the altitude, the variety o soils and the climate furnish the proper prop-er conditions for breeding the hardiest hard-iest grains. His most important experiments have been with emmer a grain belonging be-longing to the wheat family which diffes from wheat, however, in having two kernels of grain each spikelet and staying in the hull when threshed, like barley, ft is a feed for fattening cat-tie, cat-tie, horses, sheep or swine. Spring emmer, often wrongly called spelt, has been grown successfully in the west for a number of years, proving to be of considerable value. The winter emmer is a new and more valuable grain recently introduced from Russia by the department of agriculture. As a rule, winter grains give larger ylelda-can ylelda-can be produced more cheaply and succeed with much less moisture. Professor Buffum secured some ot the first black emmer seed introduced into this country and by applying plant-breeding methods has secured an improved variety that promises to become one of the important winter grains. By placing the winter emmer under the influence of unusual conditions, condi-tions, of soil and treatment he so disturbed dis-turbed its appearance, constitution and habit that a number of mutations, or sports, were secured. These have given rise to such improve nt that those acquainted with the original emmer em-mer would hardly recognize the new. It is larger, darker, heavier in straw and head and more prolific. Many of the heads double the spikelets, giving the appearance of -a composite wheat. Single heads weigh in many instances a half ounce. So prolific is this grain that in four seasons the yield has increased in-creased from the first sporting plants to twenty thousand bushels this year. It seems to be as hardy as winter rye, and Its severe test in different parts of the northwest demonstrates that It has solved the stock-feeding problem, making possible the fattening or the stock near the range, whereas previously previ-ously the grower bad to finish his stock for market in the corn-belt states. This grain recovers well In the spring and the heavy straw prevents falling, so common in most grains where windstorms are frequent during the growing season. Its stooling power pow-er is remarkable. In a field last season sea-son one stool was noted containing sixty-five straws, most of which had headed. A hundred bushels to the acre was the average for the different fields grown last season, although one field on exceptionally good ground made ISO bushels and parts probably made as high as 200 bushels. This grain has held its Improved character for four years, which gives confidence in its future. It can be grown anywhere that winter wheat can be grown, and the enormous yield should make it a most valuable addition addi-tion to our farm crops. The seed has been well distributed over the winter-wheat winter-wheat belt, and the coming season will demonstrate its possibilities to a wide area. Experiments have shown that this improved winter emmer has a food value relatively greater than oats for horses. Moreover, the ground product has achieved a local reputation reputa-tion as a breakfast food. it takes from four to a dozen years of the most difficult kind of scientific work to breed and perfect a new grain and the breeder can secure no patent protection. The purchaser not ouly buys the seed, but with it all the rights to grow and sell his increase at his own price. Tkis fact has probably prob-ably deterred many from entering such a profession and has limited the field to so few that the results accomplished ac-complished are especially noteworthy. The value to the country at large of a grain that would even produce an increase in-crease of a bushel an acre is so great that In the next few years undoubtedly undoubted-ly the grains and forage crops or our country will receive the attention necessary to meet the demands of a largely Increased population. |
