SUGGESTIONS TO SETTLERS ON BELLE FOURCHE PROJECT. 13 



The gi^owing season is comparatively short. Such crops as wheat, 

 oats, rye, and Canada peas will stand some spring frosts and may be 

 planted from the first to the middle of April. 



A few varieties of grains have shown themselves sufficiently well 

 adapted to be recommended. The Kubanka durum wheat is well 

 suited to the dry lands, while Fife and Bluestem should have the 

 preference on irrigated land. Kherson, Sixty-Day, and Swedish 

 Select oats are the best known so far. Among winter wheats, Turkey 

 Red and Kharkof are the best. 



Fall seeding can be done from the fii-st of September to the middle 

 or last of October. 



Among barleys, Hanna No. 24 has proved a good two-rowed va- 

 riety. Of corn varieties tested, Minnesota No. 13 has been the best. 

 Proso is a quick-maturing catch crop that may be planted as late 

 as June 5 to 15. 



A number of varieties of potatoes are grown, and this crop should 

 have a place on every farm. 



Little has been done on the project in the way of alfalfa produc- 

 tion, but it has been shown that it is the most promising hay crop. 

 Western wheat-grass probably is better adapted to the heavy soils. 

 Alfalfa should be seeded during May. It is not advisable without 

 previous experience to seed a large area of alfalfa. Alfalfa should 

 be planted on land that has been under cultivation for a year or two, 

 and care should be taken to obtain seed of hardy northern-gTown 



strains. 



For windbreaks the best trees are the green ash, cottonwood, white 

 elm, white willow, Russian oleaster, honey locust, Russian golden 

 Avillow, Scotch pine. Black Hills spruce, and red cedar. Cultivation 

 of young trees is an absolute necessity. 



Some of the hardier varieties of apples, such as Yellow Trans- 

 parent, Oldenburg, Wealthy, Pewaukee, Peerless, Milwaukee, and 

 Malinda, are likely to do well ; of crab apples, the Florence and the 

 '\Miitney are suggested. 



Small fruits can be readily grown in this section, as can also all 

 vegetables of the northern latitudes. 



Soil moisture is an important physical factor within the control 

 of the farmer. Irrigation is often overdone. At least one irriga- 

 tion can often be dispensed with to great advantage. By proper 

 tillage before and after seeding it is probable that grain may be 

 matured with but one irrigation. Whenever possible, land should 

 be irrigated thoroughly in the fall. 



The heavy soils need organic matter, and all barnyard manure 

 should be used. Manure should be applied in the fall and plowed 



[Cir. 83] 



