51 



Farm work in moGEESS, D. McLariSn, M. S. (pji. G-9). 



To liicilitiitt' the ])liiiitiii{5 and nieasinciiieiit of cro])s and tliu kiei)in<; of accurate 

 records, a forty-acre tract on each of tin; experiment farms lias been divi<led into 30 

 one-acre i>lats, separated by crossroads, whidi, with the 8iirronndiu<f road, occiii>y the 

 otiier 4 acres. These liG one-acre phits have the same numbers and subdivisions as the 

 ;i() sections in a United States Government township. 



Eacli of the forty-acre tracts has been plowed, and fenced with barbed-wire. 

 The staple crops in many A^arietios have been planted on each. On the Wyoming^ 

 University experiment farm at Laramie G acres are ])Ianted with cereals, 1 acre 

 with [lotatoe.s, 1 with field peas, 1 with sugar beets, 1 with sorifhum and corn, 1 with 

 turnips and carrots, and 5 with gr.nsses and forage pl.ints, all in many varieties, for 

 tests and for distribution among tlie farmers of Wyoming. Similar crops an* phmted 

 on each of the experiment farms. At tlio Lander expt^riment farm, fruit and forest 

 trees are planted. Ai-iial irrigation will be tested on the Saratoga experiment farm. 

 At tlie Sheridan, Sundance, and Wheatland experiment farms extensive trials of 

 field corn are being made. The crops on the Sundance experiment farm will not be 

 irrigated, as tliat region receives the greatest rainfall. 



In cooperation with the Depnrtnicnt, the station has undertaken 

 experiments with grass and forage phints grown without irrigation 

 Tlie aim is to find species of grass or methods of treatment that will 

 benefit the large tracts of grazing land in the State which are diflicult 

 to irrigate. They are conducted on 10 acres of land near the station, 

 which represent the average soil and climate of the Laramie Plains. 

 The following species have been planted : 



Northern blue grass {Poa ncmoralis), orchard grass {Daciylis glomer- 

 a/rt), switch grass {Panlcum v/rf/«Y?n/;), Northern hair grass {Airacccspi- 

 /o.sYj), scarlet clover {Trifolium incarnatian), alsiUe clover (T. hyhridum), 

 alfalfa {Mcdicago sativa), white sweet clover {Melilottis aWa), esparcet 

 or sainfoin {Onohrt/chis sativa), 'Northern lupine {lleilymrum coronarium), 

 land clover {AnthijlUs vulncraria), Galcga officinaUn, buiuet {Poterium 

 i'^aiignifiorha), Indian m'\\\&t [Panicum miliaceum), rescue grass (Z> ;•<>?»?/« 

 schradcri), wild chess (75. inermis), tall fescue {Fcsluca ela(ior), rye grass 

 {Loliiim pc7'enne), canary grass {Phalaris arundinacea), Guinea corn 

 {Sorghum vulgarc, var. cernunm). 



" For comparison and test 3 acres of prairie on the Wyoming Uni- 

 versity experiment farm are sowed with the same grasses, and will be 

 irrigated. Five other acres of prairie will be tlooded to test the effect 

 of irrigation on the natural grass." Experiments will be tried with refer- 

 ence to the retention of moisture in the .soil as affected by certain alkalis, 

 gyi)sum, native phosphates, nitrates, and other fertilizers, and the waste 

 products of glass and soda works. 



Proposed work in horticulture, B. C. Buffum, B. S. (pp. 

 O-la). — Work in landscape gardening and WMth vegetables and fruits 

 has been begun. The comparative vitality of Korthern-growu (Minue-, 

 sota) and Colorado seeds will be tested in field experiments. Varieties 

 of grasses and forage plants, native and imported, will be tested under 

 irrigation. A number of specMcs o^" native grasses growing at the 

 station or elsewhere in Wyoming are mentioned. It is hoped that a 



