258 Twenty-Sevknth Annual Report 



very instrumental in cutting the yield, and also in lessening the weight 

 of seed per bushel. 



All of the varieties mentioned in Table V will be continued in test 

 plats and rows another year. Conclusions should not be drawn, there- 

 fore, until a more extensive trial has been made. In general, it can 

 be said that flax growing for seed has indications of being a profitable 

 industry- for our irrigated valleys in Arizona. 



THE NEW EXPERIMENT STATION FARM 



The University assumed direct management of the new Experi- 

 ment Station Farm, near Mesa, on July 1, 1915. The place was rather 

 heavily infested with Johnson grass, the fences were old and run down, 

 and in many places the lay of the land for irrigation needed much im- 

 provement. Accordingly the main efiforts on this farm have been di- 

 rected toward improving the irrigation system, fencing, eradicating 

 Johnson grass, and bettering the general appearance of the place. It 

 has not been considered advisable to attempt much experimental work 

 here until the Johnson grass is brought well under control, and the 

 irrigation can be accurately handled. 



THE JOHNSON GRASS EXPERIMENT 



The north half of the east 80 acres of the farm was quite free 

 from Johnson grass when the Experiment Station took charge. Aside 

 from this the entire remaining 120 acres were badly infested. Half 

 the Johnson-free portion was planted to wheat and half to alfalfa. Any 

 stray grass in these fields was destroyed by hand digging. 



In the south half of the east 80 acres, a strip which had been in 

 wheat in the spring of 1915, was set aside to be dry fallowed. It was 

 plowed in August, of that year, and worked down later in the fall with 

 a disc and harrow. A luxuriant crop of volunteer grains came up with 

 the winter rains, and in many places a perfect stand was found. This 

 heavy growth soon seriously depleted the soil moisture, and the Johnson 

 grass growth in the spring of 1916 was very meagre, being confined 

 for the most part to seedlings. This field was again plowed in April. 

 The land was very dry and no appreciable growth of Johnson grass was 

 noted until after the summer rains began. At this time, as before, 

 seedlings were most in evidence. A particularly hard rainstorm in 

 early September soaked the ground quite thoroughly, and gave the 

 seedlings a fresh start. In order to control these the entire field was 

 plowed and disked the third time. The land was in very clean shape, 

 preparatory to seeding to grains in December, 1916. 



