19161 FIELD CROPS. 735 



At the Huntley field station in Montana in 1914 and 1915, 2 cows were pas- 

 tured each year for a season of approximately five months on three quarter- 

 acre plats of mixed grasses and clovers. This represented a stock-carrying 

 capacity of about 2.6 cows per acre. At the Gooding Experiment Station, Idaho, 

 experiments conducted for three years showed the stock-carrying capacity per 

 acre to be from 2 to 3 cows, 10 to 14 mature lambs, 10 to 12 ewes with their 

 lambs, and 3 2-year-old steers per acre. At Huntley in 1915 a yearling heifer 

 was placed on a quarter-acre plat of spring-seeded pasture on August 27 when 

 the grasses average about 10 in. in height. The plat was divided into two 

 parts which were grazed alternately and the heifer remained on the pasture 

 for 58 days, the carrying capacity being rated at 4 yearlings per acre. At this 

 farm the grazing periods on pasture plats averaged from 12 to 15 days. 



In discussing the irrigation of pastures it is pointed out that at Gooding 

 pastures were irrigated from nine to eleven times each year for three years, 

 receiving from 2.48 to 2.73 acre-feet of water per acre each year. The quan- 

 tity of water was no greater than was necessary for alfalfa though about 50 

 per cent more than needed for spring grains and potatoes. Decidedly bene- 

 ficial effects were noted at the Huntley station from the application of a top- 

 dressing of manure to 2-year-old pastures. 



[Influence of the depth of plowing on yield], I. Kolesntkov (Zlmr. Opytn. 

 Agron., 15 (1914), No. 1, pp. 33, 34). — Tlie Don Experiment Station, conducting 

 experiments with different depths of plowing, observed that the greater yield 

 was obtained in all cases by plowing about 9.5 in. deep, while plowing to a 

 depth of only 3.5 in. brought a marked reduction. As compared with plowing 

 3.5 in. deep, the average yields for the past ten years showed an increase of 

 10.5 per cent for the depth of 9.5 in. and of 6.9 per cent for the depth of 7 in. 



Grains for the Montana dry lands, N. C. Donaldson (U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Farmers' Bui. 749 {1916), pp. 22, figs. 11). — This bulletin presents information 

 regarding the varieties of winter wheat, spring wheat, oats, barley, and flax 

 adapted to the dry lands of Montana, and the best methods of growing 

 them as indicated in part by the results of tests conducted for the past eight 

 years at the Judith Basin Substation, Moccasin, Mont, in cooperation with 

 the Montana Experiment Station, 



The varieties regarded as best are Kharkof winter wheat, Pelissier durum 

 wheat, Marquis spring wheat, Sixty-Day oajts, White Smyrna barley, and 

 Russian flax. It is recommended that winter wheat be sown at any time 

 between August 10 and September 10 at the rate of 3 pk. per acre, and that 

 spring wheat, oats, and barley be sown as early as the land can be prepared. 

 The best time for sowing flax is given as April 15 to May 1. The rates of 

 seeding for spring grain crops recommended are as follows : Wheat 4 pk. to 

 the acre, oats 4 to 5 pk., hulled barley 5 pk., hull-less barley 4 pk., and flax 

 15 to 20 lbs. Summer fallowing is not recommended as a general practice, 

 and the use of a cultivated crop such as corn is suggested as a substitute for 

 fallow as gi-ain seeded on disked corn ground yields nearly as well as grain on 

 fallow. It is suggested that fall-plowed land be left rough to catch the snow and 

 prevent the soil from blowing and that spring-plowed land for spring grain 

 be worked down immediately after plowing. 



Com in Montana, A. Atkinson and M. L. Wilson {Montana i-'ta. Circ. 53 

 (1916), pp. 109-163, figs. 26). — This circular is made up of extracts from Bulle- 

 tin 107 of the station, already noted (E. S. R., 35, p. 338). 



Selecting and curing seed corn, A. Atkinson and M. L. Wilson (Montana 

 Sta. Circ. 54 (1916), pp. 165-184, figs. 23). — This circular describes and discusses 

 practical methods of tield selection, drying, testing for germination, and pre- 

 paring for planting of seed corn under Montana conditions and requirements. 



