SUGGESTIONS TO SETTLERS ON BELLE FOURCHE PROJECT. 5 



surface may be in condition to catch the early spring rains, thus pre- 

 venting their running oft' the surface. This is particularly applicable 

 to the heavy gumbo soils, which, if left in a compact condition over 

 -winter, shed water very effectually. If the land is plowed in the 

 spring it is not advisable to plow deep, especially in the gumbo soils, 

 as the subsoil turned up will not be in good condition for plant 

 growth. It is important to harrow the land immediately after plow- 

 ing, as this helps to establish a mulch which prevents undue loss of 

 soil moisture and tends to firm down the soil, thereby establishing 

 good germinating conditions. The packing of the soil by harrow- 

 ing will also prevent the wind from gaining free entrance to the 

 plowed layer. The loss of moisture caused by the high winds which 

 are prevalent in the spring is greater than the loss occasioned by the 

 high summer temperature; hence the importance of the harrowing. 

 If the land has been fall-plowed it should be gone over with a disk 

 or harrow in the spring as soon as possible after the frost is out of 

 the ground and the surface dry enough, in order to prevent the loss 

 of moisture, to keep the surface from crusting, and to break up the 



clods. 



EARLY PLANTING IMPORTANT. 



The growing season at Belle Fourche is relatively short, and spring 

 crops should be started as early as conditions will permit. Such 

 crops as wheat, oats, rye, and Canada peas will stand some spring 

 frost without serious injury, and these crops can ordinarily be 

 seeded with safety from the first to the middle of April. In 1909 

 wheat, oats, and barley were sown on the experiment farm from 

 April G to 8, and corn was planted May 10. In 1010 wheat was 

 sown April 2, oats, April 5, barley, April 8, and com was planted 

 May 18. 



In 1908 the last frost occurred May 20; in 1909, May 17; and in 

 1910. ]May 23. During these years the first autumn frosts occurred 

 September 26, September 23, and August 25, respectively. 



AMiile early planting does not result in a rapid early growth of top, 

 it enables the roots to become well established in the soil, and the deep 

 rooting gives the plants an advantage when later in the spring the 

 temperature gets high enough for more rapid growth above ground. 

 This advantage is important in the dry-land soils. Of course, seed- 

 ing should not be done so early that the cold, wet ground will cause 

 the seeds to rot, but the spring climatic conditions in the area are 

 usually such that seeding may safely be done quite early. Seeding 

 should, when possible, be done with a grain drill, as the seed can 

 not be properly buried and surrounded firmly with moist soil by 

 broadcasting followed by harrowing or disking. As the seed bed in 

 the heavA' gumbo soil is likely to be somewhat rough, seeding should 



[Cir. 83] 



