. S + 3//& THE WORK OF THE SGOTTSBLUFF RECLAMATION PROJECT EXPERIMENT FARM IN 1918 AND 1919 By JAMES A. HOLDEN Farm Superintendent UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR 173 WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING. OFFICE : 1921 ogTagflft THE SCOTTSBLUFF EXPERIMENT FARM is located on the North Platte Reclamation Project, 6 miles east of Mitchell and about 8 miles northwest of Scottsbluff, Nebr. The farm includes 160 acres of land, and the work is supported cooperatively by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station. Operations on this farm were begun in 1909. In 1917 the Federal Government deeded to the University of Nebraska 800 acres of land located 5 miles north of the experiment farm, to be made a part of it, for the purpose of conducting grazing experiments. Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry (Office of Western Irrigation Agriculture) WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief Washington, D. C. June, 1921 ^ ^ ^ A ^543 . S« He. THE WORK OF THE SCOTTSBLUFF RECLAMA- TION PROJECT EXPERIMENT FARM IN 1918 AND 1919. CONTENTS. Progress of the experimental work 3 Conditions on the North Platto Reclamation Project 5 Climate 5 Crop conditions 7 Live stock 10 Crop experiments 11 Alfalfa 11 Sweet clover for pasture 16 Sugar beets 17 Page. Crop experiments— Continued. Variety test of mangels 21 Potato variety test 22 Effect of alfalfa on succeeding crops 23 Effect of alfalfa and manure on succeed- ing crops Corn Smallgrains Dry-land fanning Feeding lambs PROGRESS OF THE EXPERIMENTAL WORK. This report presents the experimental data secured on the Scotts- bluff Experiment Farm in Nebraska during 1918 and 1919 and de- scribes in a brief way the agricultural development on the North Platte Reclamation Project. Scarcity of farm help and high cost of operation have limited new lines of work, but the work previously undertaken has been continued and the results for two more years have become available. In some cases these results have been somewhat vitiated by the damage caused by grasshoppers. The Scottsbluff Experiment Farm is maintained cooperatively by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station, the work being divided into four general lines, as follows : (1) General irrigated crop experiments. (2) Rotation of crops under irrigation. (3) Rotation and cultural operations with crops under dry-land condi- tions. (4) Live-stock work. In 1918 the last frost in the spring was on May 9, with a minimum temperature of 31° F., and the first frost in the fall on September 15, with a minimum temperature of 32° F., making a total frost- free period of 129 days. In 1919 the last frost in the spring was on June 2, with a minimum temperature of 30° F., and the first frost in the fall on September 21, with a minimum temperature of 32° F., making a total frost-free period of 111 days. The maximum tem- 3 4 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. perature in 1918 was 99° F. and the minimum 23° below zero. In 1919 the maximum was 101° F. and the minimum 33° below zero, which is the lowest temperature ever recorded at the experiment farm. A summarized statement of the climatological data is given in Table I. The experimental work is conducted with the aim of obtaining information concerning local agricultural problems as well as the more general problems of crop production and crop utilization. During 1918 and 1919 it included: (1) Variety tests of the more important crops grown on the project, (2) cultural tests, (3) tests on the best time for thinning beets, (4) irrigation tests, (5) tests in crop rotation under irrigation, (6) the establishment of grass pas- ture, (7) fertilizing tests, (8) crop rotation and cultural operations under dry-land conditions, (9) pasturing tests with hogs, (10) pas- turing tests with dairy cows, (11) steer-feeding tests, (12) lamb- feeding tests, and (13) dairy work. The arrangement of the fields and the location of the experiments in 1918 and 1919 are shown in figures 1 and 2. Fig. 1.— Diagram of the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm, showing the location of the experiments in the arrangement of the 1918. fields and Scottsblaff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. Fig. 2. — Diagram of the Scottsblaff Experiment Farm, showing the arrangement of the fields and the location of the experiments in 1919. CONDITIONS ON THE NORTH PLATTE RECLAMATION PROJECT. CLIMATE. The weather conditions on the project during the summer of 1918 were very favorable for crop production. The rainfall was some- what above normal, and the larger part of it fell during the early growing season when it was most needed for irrigated crops. The winter of 1917-18 was very mild and live stock wintered well. While the season of 1918 was one of the most favorable for crop produc- tion in the history of the project that of 1919 was the most unfav- orable. In 1919 the precipitation was far below normal; particu- larly during the early season. The rainfall during April for the past nine years has averaged 2.26 inches, while in 1919 it was only 0.54 of an inch. In 1919 the total rainfall for April, May, and June was only 3.03 inches, while the 9-year average during this same period has been 6.66 inches, or more than twice as much. The weather was not only dry but unusually hot, the evaporation being higher than during any previous season. The hot summer was 6 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. followed by the coldest December during the period of record. The winter of 1918-19 was perhaps one of the most severe on live stock in the history of the project. Table I. — Summary of climatological observations made at the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm, 1911 to 1919, inclusive. Precipitation (Inches). Item. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total. Average, 1911 to 1919. For 1918 0.17 .34 .05 0.26 .27 .45 0.60 .28 .43 2.26 3.61 .54 2.66 4.26 1.45 1.74 1.23 1.04 1.39 1.02 1.37 1.87 1.27 .09 2.09 3.47 3.29 0.87 .69 1.30 0.20 .32 .70 0.45 1.42 .15 14.57 18.18 For 1919 10.87 Evaporation (Inches). Average, 1911 to 1919. 4.71 3.96 4.64 6.31 6.06 7.63 7.49 7.35 8.13 7.90 6.23 9.09 6.88 6.21 8.17 5.10 4.03 4.87 38.40 For 191S 33.84 For 1919 . . 42.52 Daily Wind Velocity (Miles per Hour). Highest: 1911 to 1919 For 1918... For 1919... Lowest: 1911 to 1919 For 1918... For 1919... Mean: 1911 to 1919 For 1918... For 1919... 29.9 24.5 24.2 31.4 16.6 16.7 9.1 9.2 11.5 23.1 15.6 16.7 29.9 24.5 24.2 20.3 12.0 9.9 6.9 5.6 9.8 7.4 11.2 10.5 10.1 15.8 10.1 19.0 12.5 10.2 8.0 6.7 7.3 14.5 13.8 14.5 .8 .4 .5 1.4 .1 .1 .4 .2 .1 .8 .5 .3 2.0 2.1 2.4 1.4 3.3 2.4 2.2 1.7 2.1 1.7 1.1 1.5 1.4 1.5 2.5 2.6 3.0 2.5 2.5 2.4 2.0 1.8 1.4 1.6 6.2 6.1 6.8 7.6 7.1 5.8 4.3 3.9 4 4 5.2 5.0 5.4 9.9 11.2 9.2 9.4 7.3 4.7 3.9 3.8 4.3 3.8 4.2 4.6 4.2 5.4 5.6 8.8 7.3 6.1 5.3 4.2 4.1 5.4 5.5 5.5 Temperature (° F.). Absolute maximum: 1911 to 1919 For 1918 68 60 58 -28 -23 -11 23 16 31 67 50 51 -23 -19 -17 25 26 21 78 60 72 -15 15 5 34 39 37 95 95 80 10 18 14 38 36 44 92 90 85 22 31 29 55 55 55 101 96 101 30 38 30 65 69 69 101 97 101 40 45 51 71 71 75 99 99 97 40 43 42 69 70 72 94 89 91 22 32 32 59 55 63 88 88 73 1 18 16 46 51 42 75 72 63 -21 - 6 -11 36 33 28 90 63 54 -33 -10 -33 24 27 21 For 1919 Absolute minimum: 1911 to 1919 For 1918 For 1919 Mean: 1911 to 1919 For 1918 For 1919 Killing Frosts. Last in spring. First in autumn. Length of Year. Date. Minimum tempera- ture(°F.). Date. Minimum tempera - ture(°F.). frost-free period (days). May 26 May 13 May 2 May 7 June 12 May 2 May 21 May 9 June 2 28 30 26 32 32 24 32 31 30 Oct. 3 Sept. 16 Sept. 19 Sept. 13 Oct. 3 Sept. 14 Oct. 7 Sept. 15 Sept. 21 31 31 31 30 32 30 28 32 32 129 124 124 129 1915 . 113 1916 133 1917 136 129 1919 111 Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 7 CROP CONDITIONS. Farming on the irrigated lands along the North Platte River in Wyoming and Nebraska has gone through an unusual experience in the past five years. The United States Reclamation Service has reported annually as to the crop conditions on what is known as the interstate unit of the irrigated lands of this district. This unit includes about 100,000 acres of irrigated land fairly representative of a much larger area watered from the North Platte River. Prior to 1915 the first stages of agricultural development on the interstate unit had been accomplished, and a substantial and fairly prosperous farming system had been worked out. In 1915 there were 1,100 farms on the unit, including 87,000 "acres of irrigable land, of which 68,000 acres were reported as in crops. In 1919 there were 1,300 farms, including 98,000 acres of irrigable land with 85,000 acres reported as in crop. During the 5-year period ended in 1919 there was no significant change in the list of crops reported nor any very striking change in the proportion of the acreage devoted to these crops except an increase in wheat acreage in the last two years. Alfalfa, oats, sugar beets, corn, and wheat, in the order named, have been the most important crops. The potato acreage has exceeded that of wheat only once in the five years, though it has increased rapidly during that time. Alfalfa has occupied well over one-third of the cropped acreage all the time. There has been no significant change in crop yields, but crop values have increased very rapidly. The total crop value reported in 1915 was slightly above $1,250,000, or an average value of $18.55 per acre. The increase in values has been continuous except for a slight depression in 1918, until in 1919 the total crop value was very little short of $4,000,000, or an average of $45.71 an acre. These crop statistics throw some light on the rotations and farm- ing practices that obtain in this region. It has been noted that alfalfa is, in point of acreage, the most important crop. This crop is valuable not only for hay and pasture but also in its effect on subsequent crop yields. 1 On the sandy soils of the North Platte Valley, the beneficial effect of alfalfa in the rotations is very striking, being nearly equal to that of an ordinary application of barnyard manure. While the full significance of this fact has probably not yet been appreciated by all the farmers on these lands, it is clear from the statistical returns that nearly one-fifth of the old alfalfa land is annually broken up and the producing acreage of this crop maintained by new seeding. Rather more than three-fourths of the new seeding is done with a nurse crop. i Scofield, C. S. Effect of alfalfa on the subsequent yields of irrigated field crops. U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. S81, 13 p. 1920. g Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Summaries of data concerning crops on the interstate unit for 1918 and 1919 are presented in Table II from statistics furnished by the United States Reclamation Service. Table III gives a digest of the acreage, yields, and farm values of the seven more important crops grown on the project from 1910 to 1919, inclusive. Table II.— Acreage, yields, and farm values of crops grown on the North Platte Recla- mation Project (Interstate Unit) in 1918 and 1919. Crop. 1918. Alfalfa hay Alfalfa seed Barley Beans Beets: Sugar Stock Clover (sweet) seed Corn Com fodder Garden Hay (other) Millet seed •Oats Onions Pasture: Alfalfa Other Potatoes Rye Wheat Miscellaneous Total or average 1919. Alfalfa hay Barley Beans Beets: Sugar Stock Cane (sorghum) Clover (sweet) seed Corn Corn fodder Garden Hay (other) Millet seed Oats Pasture: Alfalfa Sweet clover Potatoes Rye Wheat Miscellaneous Total or average Area (acres). 37. 863 136 3, 550 1,800 6.391 13 94 6,627 351 347 838 118 7,997 27 2,497 618 6,203 721 9,097 20 85,308 33,446 3,720 95 10,968 29 181 387 9,107 97 270 616 289 6,620 2,390 361 6,284 859 9,757 214 85,690 Unit of yield. Ton Bushel. ..do... ..do... Ton ...do... Bushel . ...do.... Ton Ton Bushel. ...do... ...do... Acre . . . ..do... Bushel. ..do... ..do... Ton Bushel. ...do... Ton ..do... ..do... Bushel. ..do... Ton Ton Bushel. ...do... Acre . . . ...do... Bushel. ...do... ...do... Yields. Total. 66,713 110 106, 080 13, 133 72, 684 171 390 119,319 879 617 168, 990 1,235 1, 035, 956 8,363 133, 103 70,109 101,067 747 116,310 384 325 717 157,899 104 647 1,161 159, 815 713,257 5,771 165, 536 Average per acre. 1.8 .8 29.9 7.3 11.4 13.2 4.2 18.0 2.4 1.0 5.2 21.1 45.7 167.0 11.6 14.6 2.1 27.2 8.0 10.6 13.3 1.8 1.9 17.3 1.1 1.0 4.0 24.1 113.5 6.7 17.0 Farm values. Per unit of yield. $13.00 10.00 1.10 4.50 10.75 7.00 10.00 1.50 4.00 10.00 1.50 .80 2.00 15. 00 5.00 .60 1.25 1.90 15.00 1.25 3.00 11.00 6.00 4.00 18.00 1.30 4.00 10.00 1.50 15.00 15.00 1.00 1.25 1.90 Total. $867, 269 1,100 116,688 59,098 7S1,353 1,197 3,900 178, 978 3,352 14, 905 8,790 925 135, 192 2,470 37, 455 3,090 621, 574 10, 454 252, 895 25 3,100,710 1,051,635 126,333 2,241 1,279,410 2,304 1,304 12,906 205,009 416 13, 130 6,470 1,741 127, 852 35,850 5,415 713, 257 7,214 314, 518 9,730 3,916,736 Per acre. $22. 91 8.08 32.87 32.83 122.26 92.08 41.49 27.01 9.55 42.95 10.49 7.84 16.91 91.48 15.00 5.00 100.21 14.50 27.80 1.25 36.35 31.44 33.96 23.59 116.65 79.45 7.20 33.35 22.51 4.29 48.63 10.50 6.03 19.31 15.00 15.00 113.50 8.40 32.24 45.47 45.71 The use of alfalfa as pasture, particularly for hogs, has continued to be an important feature of the cropping system. Though the number of hogs reported has declined during the 5-year period from an average of 20 per farm in 1915 to less than 9 per farm in 1919, the area of alfalfa pastured has declined only from 3,000 to 2,400 acres. The important field crops other than alfalfa grown on the interstate unit may be grouped into two classes, the food crops and Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 9 the feed crops. The first class includes sugar beets, wheat, potatoes, and beans, grown chiefly for sale. The second class includes corn, oats, and barley, chiefly fed on the farm where produced or sold for feeding local live stock. Table III. — Statistical summary of acreage, yields, and farm values of the principal crops grown on the North Platte Reclamation Project from 1910 to 1919, inclusive. Item and year. All crops. Alfalfa. Beets. Potatoes. Corn. Barley. Oats. Wheat. Acreage: 1910 42,362 44, 736 50,250 56, 829 60,532 70,007 75, 620 83, 203 85, 308 85, 690 3,707 8,880 19,512 27,298 32, 464 31, 788 32,601 34, 374 37, 863 33, 446 283 343 667 2,920 5,083 7,872 9,024 9,357 6,391 10, 968 3,854 3,190 1,192 1,156 1,097 1,395 1,735 4,833 6,203 6,284 5,207 4,563 6,260 3,561 6,024 10,343 6,715 6,051 6,627 9,107 1,138 902 1,156 2,331 2,261 2,329 4, 857 3,052 3,550 3,720 11,419 12,271 10, 093 8,590 7,017 7,112 10,375 10, 173 7,997 6,620 9,597 1911 6,715 1912 4,390 1913 2,182 1914 609 1915 1,878 1916 2,617 1917 3,128 1918 9,097 1919 9,767 Production: 1910 Tons. 7,763 18,883 42,604 61, 728 71.405 62', 491 59, 706 58, 656 66,713 70, 109 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.7 1.8 2.1 Tons. 1,126 2,439 7,132 32, 739 53,282 97,753 92, 104 99, 790 72, 684 116,310 4.0 7.0 11.0 11.0 10.5 12.5 10.2 10.7 11.4 10.6 Bushels. 139, 440 44,316 121, 392 151,304 159,027 251,833 274,100 1, 119, 626 1,035,956 713, 257 39.0 14.0 102.0 131. 145.0 181.0 158.0 231.7 167.0 113.5 Bushels. 15,806 62, 454 96, 821 67,001 93, 186 209, 626 125,911 117,008 119,319 157, 699 3.0 14.0 15.0 19.0 15.0 20.0 19.0 19.3 18.0 17.3 Bushels. 8,545 12, 935 31,064 49, 522 53, 022 87, 037 106,096 94, 868 106,080 101,067 8 14 27 21 23 37 22 31 30 27 Bushels. 151,773 183, 287 295,360 211, 599 146, 211 198, 692 191, 204 243,764 168, 990 159,815 13 15 29 25 21 28 18 24 21 24 Bushels. 85,127 1911 82, 376 1912 75, 354 1913 32, 489 1914 9,979 1915 33, 785 1916 28,207 1917 47, 467 1918 133, 103 1919 165,536 Average yield per acre: 1910 9.0 1911 12.0 1912 17.0 1913 15.0 1914 16.0 1915 18.0 1916 11.0 1917 15.2 1918 15.0 1919 17.0 FARM VALUE. Per unit of yield: 1910 $7.00 6.00 5.00 5.00 4.50 5.00 7.50 17.00 13.00 15.00 14.66 12.76 10.92 11.31 9.90 9.83 13.74 29.00 22.91 31.44 54,341 113,298 213,020 308, 640 321,322 312, 455 447, 795 997, 152 807, 269 1,051,635 $5.00 5.00 5.60 5.50 5.50 5.50 6.26 7.50 10.75 11.00 19.90 35.55 59.88 61.67 57.65 68.30 63.79 79.99 122.26 116. 65 5,630 12, 195 39, 939 180, 064 293, 051 537, 641 575, 650 74S, 425 781,353 1, 279, 410 $0.50 .75 .25 .45 .35 .40 .90 .80 .60 1.00 18.09 10.42 25.46 58.90 50.74 72.21 142.18 185. 33 100. 21 113.50 69,720 33,237 30, 348 68, 086 55, 659 100, 733 246, 690 895, 700 621,573 713, 237 $0.35 .60 .40 .70 .75 .50 .70 1.50 1.50 1.30 1.06 8.21 6.19 13.17 11.60 10.13 13.13 29.01 27.01 22.51 5,532 37, 472 38,728 46,900 69, 889 104, 813 88, 137 175,512 178, 978 205, 008 $0.35 .60 .50 .60 .60 .45 .60 1.20 1.10 1.25 2.62 8.60 13.44 12.75 14.07 16.82 13.10 37.30 32.87 33.96 2,990 7,761 15,532 29, 713 31,813 39, 166 63,657 113,841 116,688 126,333 $0.40 .50 .35 .40 .40 .40 .50 .70 .80 .80 5.32 7.47 10.24 9.85 8.33 11.18 9.21 16.77 16.91 19.31 60,709 91, 643 103, 376 84,639 58,484 79,476 95,602 170, 634 135, 192 127,852 $0.70 1911 .75 1912 .67 1913 .63 1914 .85 1915 .90 1916 1.20 1917 1.80 1918 1.90 1919 1.90 Per acre: 1910 $6.47 8.67 11.04 14.40 14.95 18. 55 21.85 41.92 36.35 45.71 274, 217 388, 225 521,455 786, 619 890, 202 1,263,616 1,633,389 3,385,059 3,100,711 3,916,736 6.21 1911 9.20 1912 11.50 1913 9.38 1914 13.93 1915 16.19 1916 12.93 1917 27.31 1918 27.80 1919 32.24 Total: 1910 59,588 1911 61, 782 1912 50, 487 1913 20, 468 1914 8,482 1915 30, 406 1916 33,848 1917 85, 440 1918 252, 895 1919 314,518 42458°— 21- 10 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. During the 5-year period under consideration, the area devoted to the food crops has increased from 11,000 to 27,000 acres, or 2\ times. The area devoted to the feed crops has fluctuated slightly, but has been about 20,000 acres each year, although the total cropped acreage of the unit has increased during the five years by nearly 18,000 acres. LIVE STOCK. While in some lines the live-stock industry on the project shows a slight increase, in others it shows a marked decrease. There was an increase in the number of horses in 1918 over that of 1917, but in 1919 came a slight decline. Beef cattle continued to decrease through both years, while dairy cattle made a slight but steady increase. Sheep in the form of farm flocks made a substantial increase. The greatest decrease was in the number of hogs, which fell from 25,123 in 1916 to 11,200 in 1919. Both fowls and bees increased. The feeding of live stock has declined. In 1918 only 28,000 lambs were fed, while during the three previous years the number fed each winter did not fall below 80,000. A good profit was made on those fed in 1918, which stimulated the feeding the following winter, when 50,000 lambs were fed with very satisfactory profits. While the number of cattle fed decreased slightly, the number is more constant than in the case of lambs. Cattle feeding was not very profitable during the winters of 1918-19 and 1919-20. A summary of the live-stock industry is given in Table IV, compiled from the records of the United States Reclamation Service. Table IV. — Number of live stock on the North Platte Reclamation Project during the 9-year period from 1911 to 1919. On hand at the close of the year. Brought on for feeding. Year. Horses. Cattle. Sheep. Hogs. Fowls. Bees (hives). Sheep. Cattle. Horses. Beef. Dairy. 1911 2,722 3,329 3,785 4,618 5,910 6,398 6,800 7,732 7,427 2, 79 2,000 2,000 5,000 605 2,254 1,401 1,000 3,700 3,500 7,000 9,123 14, 2S6 22, 143 24, 928 25, 123 16,550 15, 250 11,200 2,000 3,000 37, 620 43, 898 46, 971 59, 249 56, 015 61,800 65,480 50 80 315 476 630 764 517 632 651 25,000 55,000 63,000 75,000 83,000 83,500 80, 000 28,000 56,000 1912... 1, 866 1913 1,640 1,669 4,723 5,010 6,035 5,100 4,000 1,326 1,521 2,218 3,040 3,345 3,400 3,500 3,666 4,700 3,000 4,600 5,400 4,200 5,300 1914 700 1915 500 1916 500 1917 500 1918 800 1919 200 It is very obvious why the hog industry has declined. Even on the corn-belt farms the corn fed to hogs could have been put on the market at a higher profit. And corn for hogs on the irrigated farms involved also the cost of freight on the corn and the commission of the middlemen. The alfalfa pasture of the irrigated farms could not Scottsbhiff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 11 replace enough of this high-priced corn to show a profit. As a con- sequence, farmers in many cases have closed out their hogs. Under normal conditions this section with its abundance of alfalfa pasture and its more favorable farrowing season can compete very favorably with the corn belt in raising hogs. While the number of dairy cows on the project shows but a slight increase, it is perhaps true that the cows are better distributed. The tendency seems still to be to have a few cows on each farm rather than large dairy herds. Where a few dairy cows are kept on the farm they furnish a ready market for the surplus hay and other roughage. They also supply a cream check each month which goes a long way toward paying the grocery bill, and if the number of cows is not too great their care will not interfere materially with the general field operations. There is perhaps less risk of financial loss with a small herd of dairy cows than with any other form of live stock. CROP EXPERIMENTS. ALFALFA. As the summer of 1919 was long and unusually hot the yields of alfalfa where it had sufficient water were above normal. Many fields however, suffered from a lack of moisture. In many cases where the fields did not receive sufficient water to give the alfalfa a quick start after being cut, the grasshoppers ate it off nearly as fast as it came on, so that on these fields the yield was far below normal. Perhaps the greatest damage done to this crop by grasshoppers was to the new seeding. COMPARISON OF SPRING SEEDING AND FALL SEEDING. In the irrigated rotation experiments eight plats of alfalfa are seeded each year, five plats in the spring on beet land and three plats in the fall in oat stubble. In most years the fall seeding is completed before the end of August. In each case the alfalfa is seeded with a disk drill. The stubble is left standing as a winter protection for the young alfalfa. The yields from each of these seedings and from the plats on which the alfalfa is 2 or 3 years old, are given in Table V. Table V. — Spring seeding of alfalfa on beet landin 1919 compared ivith fall seeding in oat stubble in 1918 and for a 6-year period on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm Num- ber of plats. Yield per acre (tons). Crop. Season of 1919. 6-year Maxi- mum. Mini- mum. Mean. 1914 to 1919. 5 3 11 3.57 2.10 7.75 2.5 0.0 2.11 2. 85 1.10 5.25 1.51 3.21 5.22 12 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Up to 1917 the fall seeding of alfalfa in grain stubble had been very successful and the yield the following summer had averaged but little less than from well-established stands. The fall seedings of 1917, 1918, and 1919, however, were almost complete failures, because of the damage done by grasshoppers. When grasshoppers are numerous it is very likely to be a waste of time and seed to sow alfalfa in the fall. While fall seeding and spring seeding with a nurse crop have proved failures during the grasshopper years, the alfalfa that was seeded alone in the spring on beet land has given very good stands. It is clear that grasshoppers will not damage young alfalfa as much when growing among weeds as they will when it is grown with a grain crop. Seeding alfalfa in the spring without a nurse crop is justified only as a means of avoiding grass- hopper injury. When the crop is seeded alone in the spring on old land weeds become very troublesome. They retard the growth of the alfalfa as much as a grain crop would if seeded as a nurse crop, and the grain crop is far more profitable than weeds. The hay cut from the spring and fall seeding in 1919 was of very poor grade, having a large percentage of weeds and grass. PASTURING ALFALFA WITH HOGS. The hog-pasturing experiments conducted in 1917 were con- tinued during the summer of 1918. There were four lots of 10 hogs each. Lots 1 and 2 each had access to 1 acre of alfalfa, while lots 3 and 4 each had access to half an acre. Lot 1 differed from lot 2 in that the whole pasture for lot 1 was cut for hay every 30 days, while alternate halves of the pasture for lot 2 were cut every 15 days. Lot 3 differed from lot 4 in that the pasture for lot 3 was divided and the hogs were alternated from one to the other, while the pasture for lot 4 was not divided. Each lot was fed a 2 per cent corn ration during the first two and one-half months, and during the last part of the pasturing season the corn was increased to a 3 per cent ration in 1917. In 1918 each lot had access to a self-feeder. The experiment began early in May, as soon as the alfalfa was large enough to graze, and continued for 107 days in 1917 and 135 days in 1918. The average initial weight of the hogs was 105 pounds for those used in 1917 and 84 pounds for those used in 1918. The average final weight varied from 241 pounds in lot 1 to 223 pounds in lot 4 for 1917 and from 248 pounds in lot 1 to 221 pounds in lot 4 for 1918. Because the season was cold and backward in 1917, and the grass- hoppers very troublesome in 1918, the yield of alfalfa was not up to normal. As a result but little hay was harvested from pastures 1 and 2, and pastures 3 and 4 were at times overpastured, particularly Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 13 pasture 4. The average of the results for the two years is given in Table VI. Table VI. — Results obtained by pasturing hogs in lots of 10 each on alfalfa on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1917 and 1918. Items of comparison. 1-acre pasture. Lot 1. Lot 2. Half-acre pasture. Divided, lot 3. Not divided, lot 4. Total gains made pounds. Total corn fed do. . . Corn fed per pound of gain do. . . Hay harvested tons. Financial statement: Total cost of corn, at $1.07 per hundredweight Total value of gains, at $7 per hundredweight Net return Value of hay, at $8 per ton Net return of pasture per acre 1.495 5.286 3.54 .72 1.478 5.303 3.59 .73 1.422 5.275 3.71 None. 1.297 5.319 4.10 None. $56. 67 104.65 47.98 5.76 53.74 $56. 74 103. 46 46.72 5.84 52.56 $56. 44 99.54 43.10 $56.91 90.79 33.85 The results shown in Table VI indicate (1) that the differences in lots 1 and 2 were very slight, (2) that lots 1 and 2 consumed the greater part of the forage from the 1-acre pastures, (3) that lots 3 and 4, especially lot 4, suffered a shortage of feed due to overpas- turing, and (4) that a divided pasture furnishes more forage than a pasture of the same area not divided. The financial statement in Table VI is based on 60 cents per bushel for corn, $8 a ton for hay, and $7 per hundredweight for gains in the weight of hogs. This is the scale of prices used in reporting previous experiments. The actual prices were very much higher at the time the experiments were conducted. The average cost of corn during the summer of 1917 was $3.50 per hundredweight, and during the summer of 1918 corn cost $3.25 per hundredweight. The hogs were sold on the Denver market. Those sold on Septem- ber 3, 1917, brought $18.35 per hundredweight, and those sold on September 24, 1918, brought $20 per hundredweight. With these actual prices the returns are higher than when the results are calcu- lated on the basis of normal prices. In 1917, when the hogs were charged $3.50 per hundredweight for corn and $30 an acre for alfalfa pasture and credited $17 per hundredweight for the gains made, the net profit per hog was $4.23 for those in lot 1, $3.72 for those in lot 2, $4.27 for those in lot 3, and $2.69 for those in lot 4. In 1918, when the hogs were charged $3.25 per hundredweight for corn and $30 an acre for alfalfa pasture and credited $18.50 per hundredweight for the gains made, the net profit per hog was $7.48 for those in lot 1, $7.33 for those in lot 2, $8.07 for those in lot 3, and $4.80 for those in lot 4. These results show that alfalfa pasture at $30 per acre is a cheap feed compared with $3.25 per hundredweight for corn. It is there- 14 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. fore economy to give the hogs plenty of pasture to save corn. In this test the hogs that had access to unrestricted pasture were fed 356 pounds of corn for each 100 pounds of gain, and this gain was made during the finishing period, which required more corn than during the growing period. While it is highly desirable that the hogs have plenty of pasture, it is not good practice to let hogs have the run of a large field that is to be harvested for hay. COMPARISON OF LIMITED AND UNLIMITED GRAIN PASTURE. RATIONS FOR HOGS ON ALFALFA The pasturing test here described has been conducted but one season. There were three lots of 10 shotes each. Lots 1 and 2 had access to 1 acre of pasture not divided, and lot 3 had access to half an acre which was divided. Lot 1 was fed corn from a self-feeder, while lots 2 and 3 were fed about a 2 per cent ration during the first 60 days, and then the corn ration was gradually increased to 3 per cent at the end of 90 days; they were given access to a self-feeder during the last 30 days. Table VII. — Results obtained from hogs in lots of 10 each on alfalfa pasture in 1919. Items of comparison. Duration of test days. Total initial weight pounds. Total gains made do. . . Total corn fed do. . . Corn fed per pound of gain do. . . Hay harvested tons. Financial statement: Total cost of corn at $1.07 per hundredweight Total value of gains at $7 per hundredweight Value of hay at $8 per ton Net return of pasture per acre Self- feeder, 1 acre, not divided, lot 1. 90 1,250 1,475 5,383 3.65 1.84 $57. 60 103. 25 14.72 60.37 Limited grain ration. 1 acre, not divided, lot 2. 120 1,194 1,256 4,376 3.48 1.19 $46.82 89.22 9.52 51.92 One-half acre, divided, lot 3. 120 1,202 1,158 4,611 3.98 None. $49. 34 81.06 None. 63.44 When normal prices are used the financial statement in Table VII shows a profit, but when actual prices are used each lot shows a loss. During the summer of 1919 the price of corn varied from $3.25 to $4 per hundredweight. The average price of the corn fed to these hogs was about $3.85 per hundredweight. The shotes were sold on the Denver market on September 6, 1919, at $16.25 per hundredweight. When the hogs are charged $3.85 per hundredweight for corn and $30 an acre for alfalfa pasture and credited $15 per hundredweight for the gains made, the loss per hog is $1.60 for those in lot 1, $1.01 for those in lot 2, and $1 .88 for those in lot 3. This does not represent the total loss, however. The hogs used in this experiment cost $19 per hundredweight at the beginning of the experiment. When the original cost of the shotes is considered, the hogs in lot 1 each lost Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 15 $6.60, those in lot 2 $5.78, and those in lot 3 $6.69. If labor, interest, and risk are considered the losses would be still greater. ROTATION TEST FOR ALFALFA HOG PASTURE. The third-year alfalfa plat in rotation 65 is pastured by hogs. The grazing season is divided into two periods, fall-farrowed shotes being used in the first period and spring-farrowed hogs in the second period. The plat covers a quarter of an acre and is divided into two parts, which are grazed alternately. The hogs are fed a 2 per cent ration of corn while on pasture. The results for 1919 compared with a 7-year average, all figured to the basis of 1 acre, are shown in Table VIII. Table VIII— Results of pasturing alfalfa with hogs in 1919 compared with the average for the 7-year period from 1913 to 1919, inclusive. Items of comparison. Number of hogs pastured Total initial weight pounds . . Total gains made do Total corn fed do Corn fed per pound of gain do Financial statement : Net return from pasture Cost per hundredweight of gain, pasture at $15, corn at $1 .07 per hundredweight '. Season of 1919. Spring period. 24 1,812 1,292 3,880 3.00 $48. 03 3.77 Summer period. 40 2,560 1,900 4,036 2.44 $83.40 3.03 Total. 3,192 8,516 2.67 $131.43 3.32 7-year average. 3,104 7,813 2.48 $133. 69 3.18 When the value of the gains made is figured at $7 per hundred- weight and the corn fed at 60 cents per bushel, the net return per acre of alfalfa pasture is $48.03 for the first and $83.40 for the second period, making a total of $131.43 for the season. On the same basis, the average net return for seven years is $133.69 per acre. Alfalfa plats comparable to the plat pastured gave an average yield of 5.25 tons per acre for the season. On the basis of this yield, the hogs paid the equivalent of $25.03 per ton for the 1919 hay crop. The average yield for seven years of alfalfa plats similar to those pastured was 5.22 tons per acre. At this rate the hogs returned annually a value of $25.61 per ton for the hay harvested in the field. The average weight of pork produced per acre for the 7-year period is 3,104 pounds. It required 248 pounds of corn in addition to the alfalfa pasture to produce 100 pounds of pork. COMPARISON OF TURKESTAN AND COMMON ALFALFAS. Results previously reported from this farm make it clear that hogs show a very decided preference for Turkestan alfalfa over the com- mon variety. With this information at hand an experiment was made to determine whether Turkestan alfalfa has a greater carrying 16 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. capacity or a higher nutrition value than common alfalfa. During the summers of 1918 and 1919 a quarter-acre plat of each of these varieties was pastured by hogs. The lots of hogs were uniform and received the same allowance of corn. In 1919 the hogs on the Turkestan alfalfa made 763 pounds gain, while those on the common alfalfa made 764 pounds gain. For each pound of gain made the hogs on Turkestan alfalfa were fed 2.64 pounds of corn and those on common alfalfa 2.77 pounds of corn. The results in 1918 were con- sistent with those of 1919. The average results for the two years show that hogs on Turkestan alfalfa made 637 pounds gain and those on the common alfalfa 663 pounds gain. For each pound of gain made the hogs on Turkestan were fed 3.12 pounds of corn and those on common alfalfa 3.02 pounds. These results show that Turkestan alfalfa does not have any advantage over common alfalfa as a pasturing crop for hogs. PASTURING SHEEP ON ALFALFA. During the summers of 1917, 1918, and 1919 a small flock of breeding ewes and lambs was pastured on alfalfa. In 1917 there were no losses from bloat. In 1918 four in a flock of about 30 died from bloat, and in 1919 three died from bloat. From the experience of these three years it does not seem advisable to pasture sheep on alfalfa. While the gains are very satisfactory, the risk is too great. SWEET CLOVER FOR PASTURE. Sweet clover is proving a very satisfactory pasture crop on the North Platte project. While there are cases of cattle bloating from eating sweet clover, it is not nearly so dangerous as alfalfa. There has never been a case of bloat from eating sweet clover at this sta- tion. During the summer of 1919 3 acres of sweet clover that had been seeded with wheat in the spring of 1918 were pastured by 10 dairy cows. The cows were turned into the pasture on May 1 and the number mentioned were kept on the 3 acres continuously until the last of September. These 10 cows were unable to keep the pasture grazed down. Of these cows 4 gave milk and were kept in the yard at night and fed alfalfa hay, while the others were kept on the pasture day and night. The pasture was divided, and the cows were alternated from one part to the other every 10 days or 2 weeks. The 4 cows that gave milk were changed to grass pasture, and 4 cows from grass pasture were changed to the sweet-clover pasture every two weeks. The cows were weighed at each change and a record of the yield of milk was kept. There was practically no differ- ence in the milk flow when the cows were changed from one pasture to the other; if any slight difference was perceptible, the average for the season was in favor of the sweet clover. In weight, the cows held up fully as well when on sweet clover as on grass pasture. Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 17 As a pasture crop sweet clover is becoming more popular on the project each year. While this crop can not make a permanent pasture, it fits well into a short rotation which furnishes a new pas- ture field each summer. The main drawback to sweet clover as a pasture crop is the possibility of a failure in getting a stand, which would leave the farm without pasture the following summer. As grasshoppers do not damage sweet clover seriously, a stand of it is not so difficult to get as of alfalfa. Perhaps the best time and method of seeding sweet clover are early in the spring with wheat as a nurse crop. The following 4-year rotation is suggested for those who wish to grow sweet clover for pasture: (1) Wheat and sweet clover, (2) sweet- clover pasture, (3) potatoes, corn, or beets, and (4) corn or beets. It is evident that sweet clover has a beneficial effect on succeeding crops, just as is the case with alfalfa. SUGAR BEETS. TIME-OF-THINNING TEST. It often happens that laborers contracting to care for sugar beets undertake to handle a larger acreage than they are able to thin before some of the beets become rather large. The object of this experiment was to determine just what effect this late thinning has on the yield. The experiment began in 1917 and was continued during 1918 and 1919. In 1919 this test was conducted on land (field H-VI-VII-north) that was in potatoes the previous year. This land was spring plowed, and the beets were planted May 1. The field was divided into four plats of 36 rows each. On June 10 the first 12 rows in each plat were thinned, on June 20 the second 12 rows, and on June 30 the third 12 rows. In other respects the plats received the same treat- ment. The stand on these plats was fairly good. The average yield of the rows in the four plats that were thinned on June 10 was 18.79 tons. These thinned on June 20 averaged 16.8 tons, and those thinned on June 30 yielded 13.32 tons per acre. In other words, the yield was cut down 1.19 tons per acre by a delay of 10 days in thin- ning and 4.28 tons per acre by a delay of 20 days. The results of these experiments for the past three years are given in Table IX. The average results for three years show that where thinning was delayed 10 days the yield was cut down 1.61 tons per acre, and with a delay of 20 days the yield was reduced 5.09 tons per acre. As shown in Table IX this decrease caused by late thinning has been consistent each year. On the basis of these results 25 acres of beets thinned at the proper time will produce the same tonnage as 34.5 acres thinned 20 days later. When beets are worth $10 a ton and the hauling costs $1 plus the value of the beet tops per ton, the net 42458°— 21 3 18 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. profit from beets thinned at the proper time will be $45.80 per acre more than from beets thinned 20 days later. On a 25-acre field this extra profit would amount to $1,145. The time of thinning has more influence on the yield than is generally realized. Early plant- ing and early thinning are recommended. Table IX. — Yield of sugar beets grown on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm on plats thinned at different dates in 1917, 1918, and 1919. Average yield per acre (tons). Year. Time of thinning. Decrease from delay in thinning. Early. 10 days later. 20 days later. 10 days later. 20 days later. 1917 . 17.16 19.26 18.79 13.77 19.02 17.60 9.61 15.83 14.51 3.39 .24 1.19 7.55 1918 3.43 1919 . 4.28 18.40 16.80 13.32 1.61 5.09 COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF MANURE AND ALFALFA ON YIELDS OF SUGAR BEETS. In the irrigated rotations sugar beets are grown on quarter-acre plats in 14 different crop rotations. In four of these rotations the beets receive manure, in four rotations they receive the residual effect of alfalfa, and in six rotations they receive neither manure nor the effect from alfalfa. In three of the manured rotations sugar beets follow the manure, while in one rotation they follow potatoes that have been manured. In two rotations sugar beets follow alfalfa the second season after the alfalfa is plowed up, and in two rotations they follow alfalfa the third season. The results covering seven years are presented in Table X. The beet crop in 1916 was damaged by hail and is therefore omitted from the table. Table X. — Comparative effect of manure and alfalfa on yield of siigar beets on the Scotts- bluff Experiment Farm from 1912 to 1919, inclusive, omitting 1916. Average yield per acre (tons). Year. Check, 6 plats. Manured, 4 plats. Alfalfa, 4 plats. Increase in favor of— Manure. Alfalfa. 1912 17.79 17.01 14.39 10.73 11.09 11.99 8.13 21.09 22.87 18.26 14.67 17.16 21.55 15.76 3.30 5.87 3.87 3.94 6.07 9.56 7.63 1913 1914 20.92 14.76 15.76 19.08 16.38 6.53 1915 .. 4.42 1917 4.67 1918. . . 7.09 1919 a 25 13.02 18.96 17.38 5.75 6.19 Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 19 Table X shows that the increase due to the effect of manure has varied from 9.56 tons in 1918 to 3.3 tons in 1912, with a 7-year average of 5.75 tons per acre. These plats were manured at the rate of 12 tons per acre. On this basis each ton of manure increased the beet yield 0.48 of a ton, or the equivalent of $3.84 when $2 a ton is allowed out of $10 for hauling the extra tonnage of beets. The increase due to the residual effect of the alfalfa has varied from 8.25 tons in 1919 to 4.42 tons in 1915, with a 5-year average of 6.19 tons per acre. In other words, the residual effect of alfalfa even during the second and third seasons after the alfalfa was plowed up amounted during a 5-year period to a net increase of $49.52 per acre. The average yield of beets from the manured and the alfalfa plats is slightly more than 18 tons per acre, while the average yield from plats in the rotation without manure or alfalfa for the past five years is a little over 11 tons per acre. It is generally conceded that it requires a 9-ton yield of beets to pay expenses. Anything above 9 tons is profit, while anything under 9 tons is loss. On this basis, the following statement shows the profit per acre from different acre yields : A yield of 9 tons pays expenses. A yield of 11 tons pays expenses plus 2 tons for profit. A yield of 12 tons pays expenses plus 3 tons for profit. A yield of 15 tons pays expenses plus 6 tons for profit. A yield of 18 tons pays expenses plus 9 tons for profit. This statement indicates that the profit from a 15- ton yield is twice as much as from a 12-ton yield, the profit from an 18-ton yield being 4^ times that from a yield of 11 tons. An acre of beets that yields 18 tons gives the same net profit as the yield from 4£ acres that produce 11 tons per acre. On an 80-acre farm where 3 acres are used for buildings and 77 acres for field crops, the crop area may be divided into seven fields of 1 1 acres each and the follow- ing 7-year rotation followed: (1) Small grain and alfalfa, (2) alfalfa, (3) alfalfa, (4) alfalfa, (5) potatoes, (6) beets, (7) beets manured. On this basis the number of profit tons from the 22 acres of beets grown in the sixth and seventh years will amount to 44 tons more than from the entire 77 acres where beets are grown on land that has not recently been manured or in alfalfa. Such a cropping system will not only give 44 more profit-tons of beets than the 1-crop system, but there will be the profit from 1 1 acres of grain, 33 acres of alfalfa, and 11 acres of potatoes, all grown on good productive land. Such a cropping system will not require as much labor as where the whole farm area is in beets; and the labor and available water re- quired to produce these various crops will be very much better distributed. 20 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. EFFECT OF FERTILIZERS ON THE YIELDS OF SUGAR BEETS. A fertilizing test is being conducted on 39 plats in field F-I. This series of plats is made up of 13 sets of plats in triplicate. Two of these sets, or six plats, are checks which received no manurial treat- ment. In 1917 five sets of plats received barnyard manure, two sets received bone meal, two sets received dried blood, and two sets received both bone meal and dried blood. Barnyard manure was applied at the rate of 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 tons per acre to each set of the manured plats. In the same year bone meal was applied at the rate of 300 pounds and 600 pounds per acre to each of two sets of plats, and dried blood was applied at the rate of 200 pounds and 400 pounds per acre to each of two sets of plats. Also bone meal and dried blood were both applied at the rate of 300 pounds and 200 pounds, respectively, to one set of plats, and the same fertilizers were applied at the rate of 600 pounds of bone meal and 400 pounds of dried blood to another set of plats. In 1918 no commercial fertilizers were used, but manure was applied at the same rate as in 1917 to one of each of the plats in each of the five sets manured the previous year. In 1918 also manure was applied at the rate of 24 tons per acre to one plat of each of the sets of plats that received bone meal or dried blood, or both, in 1917. Of all the manured or fertilized plats, 22 received no additional application in 1918. Sugar beets were grown on these plats both years. The yield of sugar beets from the plats receiving barnyard manure showed a considerable increase in 1917. This increase, however, was not in proportion to the quantity of manure applied. Where 12 tons of manure was applied, the increase in yield of sugar beets was 3.1 tons per acre; where 60 tons of manure was applied, the increase was 4.1 tons of beets per acre. Had the 60 tons of manure been applied to 5 acres instead of one the increase in yield of beets due to this same quantity of manure would have been 20.5 tons instead of 4.1 tons. It would seem from these results that where the available manure is limited, and this is the case on most farms, it is better to apply it at the rate of 10 or 12 tons per acre rather than in heavier applications, but in cases where there is an abundance of manure heavy application is advisable. The plats treated with commercial fertilizer showed a slight increase, but this increase was not so marked as where barnyard manure was used. The average yields from the check plats and from those severally treated with barnyard manure and commercial fertilizers are given in Table XL The yields obtained in 1918 show the direct effect of barnyard manure and also the residual effect of both manure and commercial fertilizers. The residual effect of barnyard manure applied in 1917 was to increase the yield of beets 2.4 tons per acre. This same Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 21 residual effect plus the direct effect of the manure applied in 1918 is shown in the yield of 4.4 tons per acre, which would indicate that the increase due to the application of additional manure in 1918 was 2 tons per acre. The residual effect of the commercial fertilizer applied in 1917 was to increase the yield 2 tons per acre. On the plats that received commercial fertilizer in 1917 and barnyard manure in 1918 there was an increase of 4.6 tons per acre. By comparison it would seem that 2 tons of this increase was due to the residual effect of the commercial fertilizer. It is not clear just why the commercial fertilizer should show more increase the second year than the first year. The higher general yield in 1918 was due to seasonal conditions. Table XI. — Effect of the use of commercial fertilizers and barnyard manure on the yield of sugar beets grown on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1917 and 1918. Treatment of plats. Num- ber of plats. Average yield per acre (tons). Actual. Increase. Season of 1917: Check (no fertilizer) Barnyard manure Commercial fertilizers Season of 1918: Check (no fertilizer) Barnyard manure in 1917 Barnyard manure in 1917 and 1918 Commercial fertilizers in 1917, manured 1918 Commercial f ertilizers in 1917 14.86 18.28 15.96 19.4 21.8 23.8 24.0 21.4 3.42 1.10 2.4 4.4 4.6 2.0 VARIETY TEST OF MANGELS. The variety test of mangels was continued during the summer of 1918. They were grown in field D on land that was in potatoes in 1917. The yields of varieties tested in 1918 and in previous years are shown in Table XII. Table XII.— Yields of different varieties of mangels on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm from 1913 to 1918, inclusive, omitting 1916. Variety Yield per acre (tons) 1913 1914 1915 1917 1918 Average. 36.50 38.10 17.80 14.40 18.20 14.50 24.50 20.87 28.46 20.45 25.01 25.00 29.90 24.40 23.55 28.46 19.60 17.50 18.40 22.00 30.10 38.80 22.14 32.00 27.06 In previous years some trouble has been experienced in keeping mangels through the winter. Each variety that was grown in 1918 was siloed separately. They were treated just as sugar beets are except that more soil was applied as the weather became colder. 22 Department Circular 173, 11. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Care was taken that none of the mangels were frosted before being covered with soil. On opening these silos toward spring it was found that all varieties had kept exceptionally well. Probably the trouble in previous years has been caused by the mangels being frosted before they were put in the silo. After mangels are frozen it is very difficult to silo them successfully. The Giant Half-Sugar is perhaps the equal of any of the varieties. At Scottsbluff its average yield is higher than that of any other variety. POTATO VARIETY TEST. The potato variety test was conducted in 1919 on duplicate tenth- acre plats in field H-III on land that was used in growing small grain in 1918. Prior to 1917 this land was in alfalfa. The stubble was plowed in the fall. The potatoes were planted on May 27, the seed of each variety being first treated with corrosive sublimate. The average yields from these duplicate plats obtained in 1917, 1918, and 1919 are presented in Table XIII. Table XIII.— Yields of potato varieties grown on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1917, 1918, and 1919. Average yields per acre (bushels). Variety. 1917 1918 1919 3-year average. Culls. Market- able. Culls. Market- able. Culls. Market- able. Culls. Market- able. 39.0 30.4 31.4 35.3 45.8 41.6 417.0 424.7 376.1 297.5 350.6 443.3 26.2 24.0 31.2 13.7 22.7 261.1 409.0 323.9 285.8 299.7 28.6 65.9 25.1 23.1 260.8 251.1 299.4 142.1 31.3 40.1 29.3 24.0 34.3 34.2 32.1 312.9 361.6 333.1 Pearl 241.8 325.1 Rural New Yorker No 2 26.8 32.1 282.7 179.4 363.0 179.4 1 Probably the Irish Cobbler variety. The quality of the potatoes grown in 1919 was very good, much better than that of the same varieties grown the previous two years. All of the seed used in 1919 was shipped into the valley, while that used in 1917 and 1918 was of varieties that had been grown at the station for a number of years. In 1917 and 1918 the potatoes were grown on alfalfa land, but the land used for potatoes in 1919 had not been in alfalfa for three years. A good stand was obtained on all plats except where the Pearl and the King were planted. On the Pearl plats there was not more than one-third of a stand, and on the King plats about two-thirds of a stand. The most striking feature in this variety test is the marked varia- tion within the same variety from year to year. There seems to be a wider variation within a variety than there is between different varieties. Scottsblaff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 23 In growing potatoes the matter of seed is a very important factor. Good seed of a poor variety will give better results than poor seed of a good variety. It is very difficult to grow a good potato crop from poor seed, no matter what the variety. The question of variety, however, is not to be disregarded. The variety should be (1) the kind of potato that the public demands and (2) one that will mature so early that the crop can be harvested before it is damaged by frost. In the North Platte Valley the Downing, the Eureka, the Pearl of the white type, and the Triumph of the red type are giving very satisfactory results when good seed is planted. The Downing ma- tures a little earlier than either of the other white varieties, and the Triumph matures a little earlier than the Downing. The Rural New Yorker No. 2 and the King will perhaps yield a little heavier than some of the other varieties, but they are rather late in maturing and are too often damaged by frost. While the Early Ohio is an early- maturing variety it is not recommended for irrigated land. When grown under irrigation it is usually very rough and knobby. Tests have been conducted to determine how late it is safe to plant potatoes. The results from these tests show that, as a general rule, the later plantings give smaller yields, but the tubers are of better grade. The difficulty in late planting is to get seed that will grow. If good seed is available, potatoes are perhaps as good, if not better, than any other crop to plant on blown-out beet land. In 1917 very good yields were obtained from plantings made as late as July 2. Potatoes planted so late will not mature sufficiently for the general market, but they can be used for seed the following year. EFFECT OF ALFALFA ON SUCCEEDING CROPS. In field K-V during the summers of 1914 and 1915, 8 plats of alfalfa were pastured with hogs, and 2 plats were harvested for hay. The 10 plats were plowed in the spring of 1916 and planted to pota- toes. In 1917 they were seeded to beets, in 1918 to oats, and in 1919 to barley. Grasshoppers damaged the grain crops each year, but so far as could be observed the damage was nearly the same on all plats. The yields from the pastured plats were consistently higher each year than from the unpastured plats. The average yields from the pastured and unpastured plats for each year are shown in Table XIV. Table XIV. — Comparative yields of potatoes, sugar beets, and grain grown on alfalfa- hay land and on alfalfa-pasture land on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm from 1916 to 1919, inclusive. Num- ber of plats. Average yield of crop. Alfalfa land. Potatoes in 1916. Beets in I'll 7. Oats in 1918. Barley in 1919. 8 2 Bushels. 316. I 288. 8 1 18.29 16. 72 Bushels. 79. 5 60.8 BusheJs. 41.9 23.4 27.3 1.57 18.7 18.2 24 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. EFFECT OF ALFALFA AND MANURE ON SUCCEEDING CROPS. In the irrigated rotation experiments there are 13 plats of potatoes, each grown in a different crop rotation. In four rotations potatoes follow alfalfa. In three rotations they are manured and in six others the rotations in which they are grown do not include alfalfa or receive manure. The average yields from the plats receiving differ- ent treatments for each year from 1913 to 1919 are indicated in Table XV. Table XV. — Effect of manure and the groiuing of alfalfa on the yields of potatoes on the Scottsblvff Experiment Farm from 1913 to 1919. Average yields per acre (bushels). Year. Check, 6 plats. Ma- nured, 3 plats. Alfalfa land, 4 plats. Increase in favor of— Manure. Alfalfa. 1913 260.8 149.8 105.9 197.8 139.2 90.1 117.1 339.2 244.6 156. 6 205.0 193.6 122.6 191.6 376.6 292.7 221.2 304.4 295.1 223.2 262.2 78.4 94.8 50.7 7.2 54.4 32.5 74.5 115.8 1914 1915 152.9 115.3 1916 106.6 1917 155.9 1918 133.1 1919... . 145. 1 151.5 207.6 2S2. 2 56.1 132. 1 The increased yield of potatoes due to the residual effect of alfalfa varied from 106 bushels per acre in 1916 to 155.9 bushels per acre in 1917, with a 7-year average of 132.1 bushels per acre. The manured plats show a 7-year average increase of 56.1 bushels per acre. The increase caused by alfalfa is more than twice as much as the increase caused by manure. In cases where both alfalfa and manured land are available and both potatoes and beets are to be grown, the best results will be obtained by putting potatoes on the alfalfa land and beets on the manured land. CORN. WHERE TO OBTAIN SEED CORN. Although the North Platte Valley is 4,000 feet above sea level, corn in most years matures well. It is necessary, however, to plant early-maturing varieties. A safe practice is to procure seed from some farmer in the neighborhood who has grown corn successfully for years. Getting seed from a section with a longer growing season is a mistake too often made in trying to obtain a higher yielding variety. Such seed when brought into a district with a short growing season fails to mature. Tests at the experiment farm have shown that corn of the same variety when grown under different climatic conditions becomes gradually adapted to its environment and in so doing acquires distinct characteristics. This was shown by a test Scottsblnff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 25 made during the summers of 1917 and 1918 when Calico corn that had been grown for years in the eastern part of Nebraska was grown side by side with Calico corn that had been planted in the North Platte Valley for some 15 or 20 years. These two strains originally came from the same source. The eastern strain grew much taller and had larger ears than the local strain. However, the corn from the local-grown seed was well matured by the middle of September, while that from the eastern-grown seed was still green. Even in 1918, when killing frost did not occur until October 26, the corn from the eastern-grown seed was but little past the dough stage. The average yields from these two strains of Calico corn during the years 1917 and 1918 were 66.9 bushels per acre of well-matured corn from the locally grown seed and 48.1 bushels per acre of very soft corn from the eastern-grown seed. When it is desired to try a new variety from a section where the growing season is longer, it should be tested on a small scale the first year or two. FIELD-CORN VARIETAL TESTS. Local varieties of corn that have been grown in the North Platte Valley for a number of years were used in this test. The names applied to some of these varieties are those of the farmers from whom the seed was obtained and who have grown and selected these par- ticular strains for some years past. Each variety was planted on four tenth-acre plats of fall-plowed stubble land in field H-IV-V. The average yields from the plats for 1917, 1918, and 1919, together with the 3-year average, are shown in Table XVI. Table XVI. — Yields of varieties of corn grown on the Scottsblnff Experiment Farm during 1917, 1918, and 1919. Average yield per acre (bushels). \ ariety or strain. 1917 1918 1919 Average. 71.5 55.1 60.4 61.1 53.8 66.4 78.4 54.2 61.1 47.8 74.3 61.1 51.9 47.6 47.8 39.9 63.3 60.4 54.1 54.0 50.8 48. 4 50.8 61.4 56.0 Both the Dry-Land White and the Calico varieties have been grown on the experiment farm during each of the past eight years, the former under dry-land conditions and the latter under irrigation. At the beginning, both were obtained from local farmers. The Sands White and the Sands Yellow were obtained from a Mr. Sands, of the Gering Valley, who has grown the white variety for many years and the yellow variety for a shorter period. As Mr. Sands had discon- tinued growing the yellow variety in 1918, no seed was available for 26 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. the 1919 variety test. The Youngheim White corn has been grown by a Mr. Youngheim on his farm north of Mitchell for a number of years. The Elder White corn has been grown for about 10 years by a Mr. Elder on his farm just west of the experiment farm. The Love- lace Yellow corn has been grown in the Gering Valley for many years by a Mr. Lovelace,, of Mitchell. SILAGE TEST. A test of the yields of different silage crops has been conducted during the past three years. This test has included sunflowers, silage corn (Nebraska White or Hogue Yellow), and local field corn. In 1919 this test was conducted on duplicate tenth-acre plats on field I—I, where barley had been grown the previous year. The land was manured in the spring at the rate of about 12 tons of barnyard manure per acre. The crops were planted on May 17. The field corn was harvested on September 22, and the silage corn and sun- flowers on September 27. The field corn, and perhaps the sunflowers, should have been harvested sooner, for the corn was well matured and the sunflowers were at least in the dough stage. The delay was caused by lack of help. The silage corn was just beginning to dent well. At the time the sunflowers were siloed about 10 per cent, by weight, of sugar-factory molasses was added to the silage. Pit silos were used. The average yields from these plats, figured to an acre basis, together with the average yields for 1917 and 1918, are shown in Table XVII. Table XVII. — Yields of corn and sunflowers used for silage on the Scottsbluff Experi- ment Farm in 1917, 1918, and 1919. Crop. Yield per acre (tons). 1917 1918 1919 Average. 22.93 16.40 10.92 11.66 12.88 7.36 14.35 14.64 9.39 16.31 Silage corn Field corn (local) 14.64 9.22 The sunflowers were badly damaged in 1918 and 1919 by grass- hoppers eating the terminal bud, thus stopping the growth of the plant. The damage to the corn was not so great. Perhaps the yields obtained from these crops in 1917 are more representative of what may be expected under favorable conditions than are the 3-year average yields. The tonnage from sunflowers under favorable con- ditions will be much higher than from corn, but corn seems to with- stand attacks from pests and injury from drought better than sun- flowers. It is claimed for sunflowers that they can be grown more profitably than corn in sections having a very short growing season. The ensilage from these yield tests has been fed each year. In filling the silo in 1917 the corn and sunflowers were placed in layers Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 27 of about 4 feet. This was done to see whether the cows would show any preference for either and whether a change from one to the other would cause any fluctuation in the milk flow. The cows did show a preference in favor of the corn silage. While they ate the sunflower silage very well, they would not eat so much of it as of the corn silage. There was no noticeable fluctuation in the milk flow. In 1918 one silo was filled with corn and the other with both corn and sunflowers, the sunflowers being put on the bottom and the corn used to finish filling the silo. The sunflowers filled about two-thirds of the silo. This silage was fed to dairy cows and to a pen of mixed dairy stock that was being fattened. The corn silage was fed first. When the change was first made both cows and fattening stock ate the sun- flower silage very well, but after being fed the sunflower silage for ten days or two weeks they would not eat so much. It seemed that for some reason the longer they were fed sunflowers the less they would clean up. The cows also dropped in their milk flow. In 1919 the 1918 plan of filling the two silos was followed except that about 10 per cent, by weight, of molasses from the sugar factory was added to the sunflowers. This was fed to dairy cows, beef steers, and fatten- ing lambs. All of the live stock ate the sunflower silage fairly well, but even with the sirup they did not relish it so well as they did the corn silage. Results covering three years indicate that sunflowers will yield more than silage corn and that silage corn will outyield field corn. The quality of the ensilage from each of these crops must also be considered. If the ensilage from field corn has no more feeding value than ensilage made from silage corn, then 10 acres of silage corn will produce as much feed as 15 acres of field corn on the basis of the 1917 yield; and if the ensilage from sunflowers is as good as that made from field corn, then 10 acres of sunflowers will produce as much feed as 20 acres of field corn. As field corn has a higher percentage of ears to stalks than ensilage corn, it is reasonable to believe that field-corn ensilage has a higher feeding value than silage-corn ensilage. Numerous experiments have shown this to be true. It is also believed that ensilage made from the silage corn has a higher feeding value than ensilage made from sunflowers, but no definite statement can be made until more experimental work has been done. It is a fact, however, that stock show preference for corn silage. On a ton basis, therefore, there is little doubt as to which of these different silage crops is the best, but on an acre basis there is still some difference of opinion. From the data available at this experi- ment farm it is believed that the extra tonnage from silage corn over that from field corn will more than make up for the better quality of the field corn. It is further believed that the ensilage from silage corn is sufficiently higher in quality to offset the greater yield of sunflowers. 28 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Sunflowers require about the same cultural treatment as corn. They are planted with a corn planter, cultivated with a corn culti- vator, and, if they stand up well, can be harvested with a corn binder. If they become tangled or if they lean to any great extent, they must be cut by hand. Sunflowers are more difficult to handle than corn. As sunflowers require no machinery other than that used in growing corn, it may be well for farmers who grow ensilage crops to plant a small area to sunflowers as a test for future guidance. SMALL GRAINS. The small-grain variety tests in 1919 were conducted in field D on land that was in sugar beets and mangels in 1918. This land was double disked, harrowed, and floated. Each variety of grain was treated with formaldehyde before being seeded. Small grain suf- fered badly from lack of moisture during its early stage of growth. This was caused by lack of the usual spring rains and a shortage of irrigation water. Later in the season grasshoppers invaded the field in large numbers. Large quantities of poison bait were put out, but with very little success. Experiences at the experiment farm have shown that poison-bran bait is not very effective in combating grasshoppers in fields of small grain. The damage caused by drought and grasshoppers makes the yields obtained from the different grain varieties of little significance. WHEAT VARIETAL TESTS. Four varieties of wheat were seeded on duplicate tenth-acre plats. The results are recorded in Table XVIII. Table XVIII.- Yields of wheat varieties grown on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1917, 1918, and 1919. Varieties. Y elds per acre (bushels). 1917 1918 1919 Average. 49.4 50.2 52.9 52.4 47.0 34.3 31.4 35.4 42.4 24.3 18.9 19.9 40.1 34.5 34.7 43.9 25.8 34.1 The Beloturka and Arnautka durum wheats often lodge very badly when grown on rich soil. The Galgalos, Defiance, and Marquis varieties stand up better than durum wheats. BARLEY VARIETAL TESTS. In 1919 only two varieties of barley were grown. Each variety was seeded on duplicate tenth-acre plats on April 28. The results are recorded in Table XIX. Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 29 Table XIX. — Yields of varieties of barley on the Scottsbluff' Experiment Farm in 1917, 1918, and 1919. Varieties. Yields per acre (bushels).i 1917 1918 1919 Average. Trebi 79.4 63.2 56.2 60.4 37.3 37.2 79.5 70.9 53.2 51.7 70.7 61.9 56 2 56.7 58.5 37.3 Bald 37.2 • The Hooded and Bald barleys are figured on the basis of 60 pounds per bushel, the others at 48 pounds per bushel. The Trebi barley is proving to be a very good variety for irrigated land. Not only does it yield much more than any of the other varieties, but it is of unusually good quality and thrashes well. A rather large quantity of seed of this variety has been distributed among the farmers on the project during the past two years. Most farmers report very satisfactory yields and are well pleased with the results obtained. OATS VARIETAL TESTS. Four varieties of oats were tested in 1919. They were seeded on April 28 on duplicate tenth-acre plats. The results for the three years are recorded in Table XX. Table XX. — Yields of varieties of oats grown on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1917, 1918, and 1919. Varieties. Yields per acre (bushels). 1917 1918 1919 Average. Newmarket 76.4 70.0 69.9 68.3 64.4 68.2 74.2 36.9 31.0 60.5 Swedish Select 58.4 69.9 77.9 83.3 90.9 73.1 35.5 39.1 61.1 65.0 The Kherson and the White Kherson varieties of oats are to be recommended in most cases. They mature early, thus lessening the risk of hailstorms and damage from grasshoppers. Where alfalfa is seeded with the oats the grain can be taken from the field sooner, thus giving the young alfalfa a better chance to become established. CULTURAL TREATMENT TESTS. The question is often asked by farmers "Should I plow, disk, or spring-tooth corn-stubble land on which I am going to seed oats or barley ? " To obtain information along this line, tests were conducted during the summer of 1917, 1918, and 1919. In each case the land 30 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. had been used in growing corn the previous year. This corn-stubble land was divided into tenth-acre plats, one-third of which were plowed, one-third disked, and one-third spring-tooth harrowed. In each case this was done in the spring just before seeding the grain. On half of these plats, usually nine in number, three of which had been plowed, three disked, and three harrowed, oats were seeded, and on the other nine plats barley was seeded. Kherson oats were used each year. Franconia barley was sown in 1917, and Trebi barley in 1918 and 1919. In 1919 this test was conducted on field H-IV-V. The grain was treated with formaldehyde before seeding, on April 28. Grass- hoppers did not do much damage to this field. The average yields of oats for each year from each of the different cultural-treatment tests are given in Table XXI. Table XXI. — Yields obtained in tests of the cultural treatment of oats on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1917, 1918, and 1919. Yields per acre (bushels). Cultural treatment of plats. 1917 1918 1919 3-year average. 88.1 84.4 86.0 84.6 96.5 93.4 60.9 63.5 68.4 77.9 81.5 82.6 The results from the tests covering three years seem to show that plowing corn-stubble land has no advantage over either disking or spring-tooth harrowing for oats and that the treatments other than plowing are much quicker and cheaper. The average yields of barley under each of the different cultural treatments for each year are recorded in Table XXII. Table XXII. — ■ Yields obtained in tests of the cultural treatment of barley on the Scotts- bluff Experiment Farm in 1917, 1918, and 1919. Yields per acre (bushels). Cultural treatment of plats. 1917 1918 1919 3-year average. 60.9 58.3 51.9 79.4 80.2 75.0 60.4 57.7 61.2 66.9 Disked 65.4 62.7 The average results of the three years show a slight increase for the plowed plats. This amounts to only 1.5 bushels per acre more than the disked plats, which will hardly make up for the difference in the cost of operation. When cost is considered, it would seem that disking is the best method of preparing corn-stubble land for the seeding of either oats or barley. Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 31 COMPARISON OP OATS AND BARLEY. As the oats and the barley in the cultural-treatment tests were each grown under the same conditions each year, the yields obtained afford a very good comparison. In each case the yields represent the average of 27 plats, or 9 plats for three years. The average yield of the 27 oat plats and the average yield of the 27 barley plats are recorded in Table XXIII. Table XXIII. — Comparative yields of oats and of barley grown under the same condi- tions on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1917, 1918, and 1919. Crop. Yields per acre. Bushels. Pounds. Oats 80.7 65.0 15.7 2,582 Barley 3,120 In favor of— Oats 538 As the average yield of oats was 80.7 bushels per acre, as against 65 bushels of barley, it may appear that oats is a higher yielding crop than barley, but it must be remembered that 2 bushels of barley weigh the same as 3 bushels of oats. While the results from this test show a yield of 15.7 bushels per acre in favor of the oats, the barley actually outyielded the oats 538 pounds per acre. In many cases barley will prove a more profitable crop to grow than oats. It should be ground before being fed. EFFECT OF ROTATIONS. The oats in the irrigated rotations were damaged badly by grass- hoppers in 1918 and 1919. The average yield from the 18 plats was 65.6 bushels per acre in 1918 and 48.5 bushels in 1919. The yield from the plats that had received manure averaged 11.9 bushels in 1918 and 2.3 bushels in 1917 more than similar plats not receiving it. Where oats followed alfalfa land the yield was greater by 16.5 bushels per acre in 1918 and by 7.2 bushels in 1919. Wheat following alfalfa made a yield of 31 bushels per acre in 1918, and 23.3 bushels in 1919, as compared with 23 bushels in 1918 and 13.1 bushels in 1919 where wheat followed oats in a 2-year rotation. DRY-LAND FARMING. 1 Many farmers on the North Platte Reclamation Project have dry land in connection with their irrigated land. As a rule this land is used as pasture, and in too many instances it is so badly over- pastured that it produces but little feed. Much of the land is tillable i This summary of results was prepared by the Office of Dry-Land Agriculture. 32 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. and might be made a source of greater income than it provides as native pasture. To determine the agricultural possibilities of the unirrigated land and the best methods of cultivation and crop rotation to practice on such land, the Office of Dry-Land Agriculture is conducting in- vestigational work on the Scottsbluff Farm. About 150 tenth-acre plats are used of land that has never been irrigated. The work consists principally of experiments with crop rotations and methods of tillage. The principal crops used are corn, winter wheat, spring wheat, oats, barley, and sorghum. The results obtained will not be considered in detail in this report, but it may be of value to refer to some of the more important of them. Table XXIV presents the average yields of the several crops from all methods for each year of the 9-year period from 1911 to 1919, inclusive. In 1911 the crops were all on virgin prairie sod broken in the summer of 1910. The low yields were due to drought. Be- cause only one method was under trial in this the first year of the experiments, only the eight years, 1912 to 1919, inclusive, are con- sidered in studying the results of different methods. Table XXIV. — Average yields of the several crops grown without irrigation on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm for the 9-year period from 1911 to 1919, inclusive. Average yields per acre. Year. Winter wheat. Spring wheat. Oats. Barley. Corn. Sorghum. Bushels. 3.0 13.3 10.0 22.1 22.2 5.7 6.9 4.5 Bushels. 1.9 17.0 11.5 10.7 18.1 8.2 15.6 11.4 2.3 Bushels. 34.3 25.0 17.3 52.6 10.4 24.4 25.8 2.8 Bushels. 2.0 26.7 7.7 38.8 8.4 15.5 17.1 4.7 Bushels. 7.4 36.7 30.3 10.2 12.9 29.1 26.7 18.2 5.0 Pounds. 3,067 1912 10,400 1913 6,400 1914 250 1915. . 7,700 1916 8,800 1917 8,107 1918 . 4,110 1919 . 2,417 9.7 10.7 21.4 13.4 19.6 5,695 The average yield of winter wheat for the nine years was 9.7 bushels per acre, which is 1 bushel less than the average yield of spring wheat for the same period. This lower average of winter wheat is due either to complete winterkilling, as in 1918, or to winterkilling on some methods of preparation in other years. When the crop comes through the winter it generally yields more than spring wheat. When the winter-wheat crop is credited with the spring wheat produced by reseeding winterkilled plats, its aver- age is higher than that of spring wheat. The 8-year average yield of winter wheat on fallow was 16.5 bushels, and on disked corn ground 13 bushels, while on land con- Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 33 tinuously cropped to winter wheat the yield was only 6 bushels on early fall plowing and 3.6 bushels on late fall plowing. These averages include the spring wheat produced in two years of partial or complete winterkilling. Spring wheat averaged 10.7 bushels per acre for the nine years. There were two years when the yield was so low as to amount to prac- tical failure. For the period from 1912 to 1919 three plats oniallow ground averaged 16.2 bushels per acre. On disked corn ground 11 plats averaged 12.5 bushels. The yield on fall-plowed corn ground was 12.6 bushels and on spring-plowed corn ground 11 bushels. Other yields were 10.6 bushels on fall-plowed oat ground, 9.9 bushels on spring-plowed oat ground, and 9.9 bushels on spring-plowed sorghum ground. On land continuously cropped to wheat the yield fell to 7.1 bushels on fall plowing and 6.4 bushels on spring plowing. The average yield of oats for the 9-year period was 21.4 bushels per acre. The 8-year average on fallow ground was 30.9 bushels, on disked corn ground 25.8 bushels, on spring-plowed corn ground 23.5 bushels, on spring-plowed wheat ground 22.9 bushels, and on fall-plowed wheat ground 18.5 bushels, while land continuously cropped to oats averaged only 16.1 bushels on fall plowing and 17.2 bushels on spring plowing. A single plat on spring-plowed sorghum ground yielded 25.8 bushels per acre. The 9-year average yield of barley was 13.4 bushels. The 8-year average yield on fallow ground was 26 bushels, on spring-plowed oat ground 16.7 bushels, on disked corn ground 15.4 bushels, and on land continuously cropped to barley 15.4 bushels on spring plowing and 12.1 bushels on fall plowing. The 9-year average yield of corn was 19.6 bushels. Two crops were very poor, but in the other seven years the average yields ranged from 10.2 to 36. 7 bushels. Only one plat of corn was grown on fallow ground and its average for eight years was 28.2 bushels. Outside of this plat the range in yield, due to differences in the pre- ceding crop or the time of plowing, was so small as to be insignificant. The 8-year average yield of all methods other than fallow was 21.4 bushels per acre, and the greatest departure from it was on land continuously cropped to corn with fall plowing, which averaged 23 bushels per acre. In addition to the grain the corn averaged 1,900 pounds of stover per acre. Three rotations in the experiments contain sorghum. The 9-year average yield of hay or forage from this crop was 5,695 pounds per acre. Only one year showed a production of less than 1.5 tons. That was in 1914, when the crop was seeded solid with a grain drill. It has been found better to plant sorghum in rows with a corn or sugar-beet planter and cultivate it. The heaviest yield was on spring-plowed corn ground manured; this for eight years averaged 6,884 pounds, or nearly 3.5 tons, per acre. 34 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Red clover has consistently resulted in total failure. Brome-grass has not made a stand when seeded with a crop of grain. When seeded alone it has made a sod that in the second and third years averaged from 700 to 800 pounds of hay, but has never yielded as high as three-quarters of a ton. It possesses some possibilities for pasture, being especially valuable for late or very early pasture. Alfalfa has been somewhat more productive than brome-grass, its average yield being about 1,200 pounds of hay per acre. The increased yields obtained by breaking up alfalfa under irriga- tion are not evidenced on dry land. Following alfalfa or brome- grass the soil is so dry that the yields are likely to be decreased rather than increased. It appears from the evidence obtained from the experiments with- out irrigation that the small grains can be successfully grown on either fallow ground or following corn, but that their yields following small grains are too low to warrant their growth in such combina- tions unless at seeding time the soil is thoroughly wet to a depth of at least 3 feet. Fallow land should be seeded to winter wheat. Corn did not show sufficient increase on fallow ground to justify fallowing for that crop. Corn can be grown continuously on the same land if one so desires. The crop on land so treated was some- what heavier than on land following the small grains. In rotation with the small grains the average yield of corn was more than 21 bushels of grain and nearly a ton of stover per acre. For forage alone sorghum is the most productive and the surest crop that has been grown. It should be expected to produce from 2.5 to 3 tons of forage per acre. A good combination of' feed crops is a 3-year rotation of oats on spring-plowed sorghum ground, corn on fall plowing, and sorghum on spring plowing. If corn is wanted for feed to use with alfalfa hay produced under irrigation, the dry land can be profitably utilized by cropping it continuously to corn. If a combination of feed and a cash crop is desired, the indicated rotation is a very simple one of corn on either fall or spring plowing and wheat on disked corn ground. FEEDING LAMBS. 3 During the winter of 1919-20 12 lots of 31 lambs each were used in a feeding test. The lambs cost $12.75 per hundredweight at Denver, with freight paid to Omaha. At Denver the lambs averaged 47£ pounds each. When weighed into the feed lots they averaged 43^ pounds, having shrunk 4 pounds. They were dipped before being shipped out of Denver. When the shrinkage and cost of dipping were charged against the lambs it made them cost $14.13 per hundredweight in the feed lots at the beginning of the experiment. 2 This experiment was conducted for and under the supervision of the Nebraska Agricultural Ex- periment Station. Scottsbluff Experiment Farm in 1918 and 1919. 35 The lambs in each lot were fed all the alfalfa hay they would eat. The lots getting beet tops were also fed all the tops they would clean up. Silage was fed at the rate of 2 pounds for each lamb daily. The corn and dried pulp were fed at the rate of 1 pound per lamb daily and the cottonseed cake at the rate of one-third of a pound, except in the case of lot 7, where the lambs were fed cake at the rate of half a pound a day. The lambs were on feed 100 days. At the end of the experiment they were appraised by two experienced sheepmen from a commis- sion company in Omaha. In figuring the net profit for each lamb a 6-pound allowance was made to cover the shrinkage and other items of expense between the feed lots and the market at Omaha. Nine lots of the best lambs were sold on the Omaha market for $19.25 per hundredweight six days after being appraised at the feed lots; the market advanced more than a dollar in this week. The net profit per lamb, therefore, was considerably more than is shown in the summary in Table XXV. Table XXV. — Summarized results of feeding 372 lambs in 12 lots with different rations for 100 days on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm during the winter of 1919-20. Feed consumed per 100 pounds of gain. Total gains made. Cost of feed per 100 pounds of gain. Ap- praised value per hun- dred- weight. Lot. Alfalfa hay. Corn. Cotton- seed cake. Dried pulp. Beet tops (from tons of beets). Silage. Net profit per lamb. No. 1... Pounds. 503 408 547 396 482 416 452 235 485 391 350 630 Pounds. 306 246 a 107 a 84 328 255 Pounds. Pounds. Pounds. Pounds. Pounds. 971 1,205 928 1,182 923 1,162 1,228 1,307 759 1,162 1,250 759 $12. 89 13.62 11.39 11.93 9.59 11.26 12.36 10.57 11.86 12.16 11.85 13.13 $17.50 18.00 17.75 18.00 17.65 17.90 18.00 18.10 17.00 17.75 17.85 17.25 $1.83 No. 2. . 76 6 77 2.32 No. 3 6 224 175 2.40 No. 4 2.94 No.5... 2.91 No. 6 79 cl04 70 120 261 247 231 3.02 No. 7... 2.87 No. 8 417 719 3.80 No. 9... 1.50 No. 10 1.63 1.71 2.99 . 2.59 No. 11 73 120 242 2.95 No. 12 1.34 a Fed 40 days. b Fed 60 days. c At the rate of half a pound per lamb per day. The prices were as follows: Corn, $2.90 per hundredweight; dried pulp, $35 per ton; cottonseed cake, $85 per ton; silage, $8 per ton; beet tops, $1 per ton yield of beets; alfalfa hay, $16 per ton. The results of this feeding test are grouped in Table XXVI, to show the comparative values of the different rations. Corn in each case made more gain than dried pulp, but at a greater cost and with a lower profit. Cottonseed cake increased the gains with a higher cost and a greater profit. Beet tops proved a cheaper feed than corn but more expensive than dried pulp. Silage pro- duced greater gains than beet tops, with a lower cost and a higher profit. The half-pound ration of cottonseed cake produced a greater 36 Department Circular 173, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. gain at a higher cost and a lower profit than the lighter ration of cottonseed cake. Table XXVI. — Comparative results of using different rations in feeding 372 lambs on the Scottsbluff Experiment Farm during the winter of 1919-20. Feeds compared. Apportionment of rations. Total gains made (pounds) Cost of feed per 100 pounds of gain. Ap praised value per hun- dred- weight. Net profit per lamb. Corn and dried pulp (with- out cottonseed cake): LotNo.l LotNo.3 LotNo.5 Com and dried pulp (with cottonseed cake): Lot No. 2 Lot No. 4 Lot No. 6 Corn with and without beet tops: Lot No. 10 LotNo.l Other feeds with and with- out beet tops: Lot No. 11 Lot No. 6 Beet tops and silage (with other feeds): Lot No. 11 Lot No. 8 Beet tops and silage (with cottonseed cake): Lot No. 12 Lot No.9 Dried pulp, with heavy and with light feed of cotton- seed cake: Lot No. 7 Lot No. 6. Corn Dried pulp and corn Dried pulp Corn and cottonseed cake Dried pulp, corn, and cottonseed cake Dried pulp and cottonseed cake Corn and beet tops Corn Dried pulp, cottonseed cake, and beet tops. Dried pulp and cottonseed cake Dried pulp, cottonseed cake, and beet tops. Dried pulp, cottonseed cake, andsilage Cottonseed cake and beet tops. Cottonseed cake and silage Dried pulp, with heavy feed of cotton- seed cake. Dried pulp, with light feed of cotton- seed cake. 971 928 923 1,205 1,182 1,162 1,162 971 1,250 1,162 1,250 1,307 759 759 1,228 1,162 $12. 89 11.39 9.59 13.62 11.93 11.26 12.16 12.89 11.85 11.26 11.85 10.57 13.13 11.86 12.36 11.26 $17. 50 17.75 17.65 18.00 18.00 17.90 17.75 17.50 17.85 17.90 17.85 18.10 17.25 17.00 18.00 17.90 $1.83 2.40 2.91 2.32 2.94 3.02 2.59 1.83 2.94 3.02 2.94 3.80 1.34 1.50 2.87 3.02 ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON, D. C. AT 5 CENTS PER COPY V LIBRARY OF CONGRESS D00E77TlbflE