140 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD- 



As ill tilt! prt'N ious year, flic results of fcrtili/intr 'jrass lands in rntatioii with wood 

 ashes, nitrate of soda, iriound hone, iiiiiriati' of potash, and l)arnyard iiiannrt' jn'oved 

 decidedly prolitahle. 



The results in tlu- exjK'rinR'nt on the nicthods of apjilyiiig l>ariiyard manure were 

 in favor of the sprinjr a])])lication as compared with tlie fall ai»plieation, l)ut the dif- 

 ference in yield was not sufficient to ]ia\' for the extra handling. 



The use of I'lO to 2o0 lbs. per acre of nitrate of soda on timothy sod gave a jmifit- 

 ahlc increase in the yield of rowen in every instance. 



Jn a variety ti'st of ])utatoes, Beauty of Hebron (first and second generations from 

 Maine seed), IXL, Pteuhen, Early Nancy, ^Million Dollar, Knsitrn Bagley, Early 

 Rose, Gem of Aroostook, and Daughter of Early Rose, in the order of productive- 

 ness, produced over 250 bu. of nuTchantable tubers per acre. 



Report of the agriculturists, R. S. Shaw and F. B. Linfikld {Montana Sta. 

 Rpt. 1902, pp. 31-56). — Earlier results of the wo7-k descrilied have been i)reviously 

 noted (E. S. R., 14, p. 26), and the data here reported include tlie average results for 

 1899, 1900, 1901, and the yields obtained in 1902. 



The results of tests with 42 varieties of wheat are given in a table. The data 

 include the yields of grain and straw, the weight per bushel, and the time required 

 to mature. Onyx, Opal, Ohili, and Russian 2955 led in jiroductiveness and yielded 

 65.7, 65.2, 63.5, and 60.7 bu. per acre, respectively. The smallest yield olttained in 

 the test was 36.6 bu. The macaroni Avheats, Kubanka and Wild (loose, were grown 

 under irrigation without any apparent softening of the kernel- Russian 2955 was 

 obtained through this Department and has i^roved a most promising milling wheat. 



Of 19 varieties of oats under test Swedish Select 2788, "White Swedish, White 

 Danish, American Banner, and American White yielded 100.3, 98.1, 91.8, 91.3, and 



90.7 bu. per acre, respectively. The smallest yield in the test was 73.3 bu. Among 6 

 varieties introduced in 1901, Salzer Big Four led with a yield of 129 bu. per acre, 

 followed by Irish Victor and Alaska with 126.3 and 104.6 bu., respectively. Swedish 

 Select 2788 and Nameless Beauty were selected by the station for distriliution 

 throughout the State. 



Seventeen varieties of barley under test for the same period have given average 

 yields ranging from 43.2 to 71.4 bu. per acre. The leading varieties were: Golden- 

 thorpe. New Zealand, ]\Iandscheuri, and Plighland Scotch, yielding 71.4, 69.9, 67.6, 

 and 60.6 bu. per acre, respectively. Eight varieties of huUess l)arleys yielded from 



33.8 to 56.8 bu. per acre. The Black Hulless, New White Hulless, CJuy Male, and 

 Delnoote yielded over 54 bu. per acre. The straw in the New White and Smooth 

 Hulless barleys is considered superior to that of the Black Hulless for feeding pur- 

 poses. A number of varieties of barley obtained from this Department and grown 

 under extremely favorable conditions proved very jiromising. The yield of one of 

 these varieties, Number 5473, was at the rate of 101.9 bu. per acre. Of the brewing 

 barleys Chevalier, Goldenthorpe, New Zealand, and Mandscheuri have given the 

 most satifactory results in field culture. 



Of 43 varieties of potatoes grown in the 3 years, 23 gave average yields of over 400 

 bu. per acre. The leading varieties, Montana Beauty, White Elephant, Charles 

 Downing, and Rural New Yorker No. 2, yielded 478.9, 475.8, and 470.8 bu. per acre, 

 respectively. The statement is made that early varieties may be grown at an altitude 

 of 6,500 feet, 1)ut that medium sorts are not a success when grown above 4,750 ft. 



In 1902 the yields of wheat ranged from 29 to 77 bu. per acre, but there was only 

 one yield below 50 bu. In oats the yields ranged from 90 to 174 bu., and with barley 

 from 29 to 96.8 1)U. per acre. The Pringle Champion wheat, Early Everett oats, and 

 Guy Male barley were the leading varieties. 



The cooperative work of the station with the farmers of the State is described, and 

 the results of the same reported. In 1902, 86 farmers including 53 cooperators grew 

 grain from station seed. The yields of cereals, hay, and root crops grown under irri- 

 gation are reported. 



