130 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



Auioric-iin 40.'.) bu., Ked xVlgerian 27.2 bn., Burt 50.7 bu., and Swedish Select 

 34.1 bu. Sixty Day aud Kherson are so similar that the authors class them to- 

 f.rether. Ited Algerian and Swedish Select are late varieties and of little promise 

 for the region. Kherson is recommended as the best oats for western Nebraska. 

 Seeding S pk. of Kherson oats per acre was apparently better than using smaller 

 quantities of seed. In 1908 oats on spring-plowed oats stubble yielded 34.4 bu., 

 on disked corn stubble 43.5 bu., on fall-plowed oats stubble 68.5 bu., and on 

 summer tillage alternating with oats 82.3 bu. 



Under ordinary good methods of tillage barley yielded about 40 bu. per acre, 

 but in 190G on 8 acres of summer-tilled land 60 bu. per acre were secured. In 

 1908 a summer-tilled field of several acres on the table-land gave 67.7 bu. per 

 acre. In the seeding tests 6 and 8 pk. of seed per acre gave the best results. 

 Different methods of tillage previous to sowing the crop gave widely varying 

 yields in 1907 aud 1908. 



Emmer introduced from Amarillo, Tex., and fall sown yielded at the rate of 

 64 bu. per acre, but the following year it winterkilled badly. Spring emmer 

 sown at the rate of either 6 or 8 pk. per acre gave better yields than when 2 or 

 4 pk. were used for seed. 



The average relative yields per acre of spring grains grown under the same 

 conditions for 2 years were as follows : Kherson oats 1.741 lbs., common barley 

 2,256 lbs., hull-less barley 1,546 lbs., emmer 1,870 lbs., aud Black Don wheat 

 1.780 lbs. Drilling barley, oats, emmer, and wheat in the spring of 1908 gave 

 10, 1.0, 6.4, and 9.6 bu. more per acre, respectively, than broadcasting. Listing 

 corn has generally given better results than surface planting. Among the most 

 satisfactory varieties of corn tested are Pride of the North, Minnesota No. 13, 

 U. S. Selection 133, and early strains of Calico. 



During four seasons the method of sowing sorghum broadcast has given 

 better results than any other. In 1908 the use of 8 pk. of seed per acre gave 

 the largest yield of forage. The highest yields of forage per acre recorded in 

 experiments with different methods of planting conducted from 1905 to 1908 are 

 as follows : Sorghum 6.47, milo maize 4.86, and Kafir corn 5.07 tons. The grain 

 yield of sorghum in 1907 and 1908 in these tests ranged from 16.6 to 28 bu. per 

 acre, and the yield of milo maize from 10 to 24 bu. The most satisfactory 

 grass grown was brome grass, aud observations to date indicate that it is the 

 only grass capable of making a permanent sod on tilled land in western 

 Nebraska. Alfalfa is considered the most profitable forage crop for valley 

 land. Nebraska-grown seed seemed to be best. 



Methods of tillage and dry farming, G. Severance {Washington Sta. Popu- 

 lar Bill. 15, pp. 7, figs. 5). — The methods of tillage for dry farming are discussed 

 and the implements used in this connection are described and illustrated. The 

 essential features of the methods outlined include the maintenance of the 

 humus by working into the soil all the straw and stubble available, disking the 

 stubble before the beginning of the winter rains, preparing a dust mulch of 2 

 to 4 in. as soon as possible in the spring, following the plow immediately with a 

 subsurface packer, aud keeping the fallow clean and mulched with a knife 

 weeder. 



A test of these methods showed that the land could be kept clean without 

 drifting of the soil, that 30 bu. per acre of winter wheat is a possible yield, 

 that crops on the fallow preceding wheat often cause the wheat cro}) to be a 

 failure, and that weeds such as Russian thistle may dry out the soil to such an 

 extent that a timely germination of the wheat is prevented. 



Dry farming in Wyoming, J. D. Towar {Wyoming Sta. Bui. SO, pp. 3-29, 

 figs. 3). — This bulletin summarizes the replies received in answer to a list of 

 questions sent out by the station to parties engaged in dry farming in different 

 parts of the State. 



