n. r. I.— 673. 



FORAGE CROPS FOR THE SAND-HILL 

 SECTION OF NEBRASKA. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The passage of the Kinkaid homestead hxw ^ caused a considerable 

 influx of settlers into the sand-hill section of Nebraska. Many of 

 those who filed claims on tracts of (UO acres of this land were entirely 

 unacquainted with agricultural practices and, besides, lacked the 

 funds jDroperly to stock and equip their farms. The result has been 

 that a number Avere forced to abandon their homesteads before 

 obtaining title, while a great many others stayed only long enough 

 to secure a deed to the land so they could sell it ; then they, too, gave 

 up the struggle. Xot only were the settlers themselves unacquainted 

 with the agricultural conditions in the sand hills, but there was 

 practically no source from which information was available. 



It was with a view of obtaining a basis for recommendations in 

 connection with the growing of forage crops that investigations con- 

 sisting of cooperative experiments and a study of the practices of 

 the more successful farmers were inaugurated. In the spring of 

 1908 a series of tests of forage crops was started in cooperation with 

 farmers located under various conditions that were t^'pical of the 

 .-and-hill section. These experiments w^ere arranged not only to 

 determine the comparative adaptability and value of various crops, 

 but also to determine the best methods of culture. In the dry-valley 

 region alfalfa (including several varieties), sw^eet clover, awnless 

 brome-grass, slender wheat-grass, western wheat-grass, orchard grass, 

 tall oat-grass, millet, and sorghum were tested extensively. Alfalfa, 

 hweet clover, red clover, alsike clover, awnless brome-grass, timothy, 



^ This law, known as the Kinkaid Act, amended tlie Federal homestead laws, making it 

 possible throughout the region indicated on the map (flg. 1) for settlers to file claims 

 on 040 acres of land instead of 100. There were excluded from this act only such lands 

 in the indicated district as the Secretary of the Interior mij^ht deem reasonably practi- 

 cable to irrigal"'. It was also provided that settlers who had previously filed on a home- 

 stead in the rej;ion affected sliould liave, for i)0 days after the passage of the act, prefer- 

 ential right to make entry on sufficient additional land to increase their holdings to 640 

 acres, the stipulation in regard to final proof being that the entryman must prove affirma- 

 tively that he has placed upon the lands entered permanent improvements of the value of 

 not less than .$1.:^.") for each acre included in his entry. 



[Cir. 80] 



3 



