CEREAL INVESTIGATIONS ON THE BELLE FOUECHE FARM. 



15 



Table IX. — Annual and average yields of varieties of spring wheat on the Belle Fourche 

 Experiment Farm, 1908 to 1918, inclusive. 





C.I. 



No.o 



Yield per acre (bushels). 



Group and variety. 



1908 



1909 



1910 



1911 



1912 



1913 



6-year 

 aver- 

 age. 



Durum: 



2941 

 1493 

 1537 

 1547 

 1354 

 1440 

 1516 

 2246 

 2882 

 1584 

 1350 

 1444 



1517 

 2873 

 32'6 

 3025 

 3022 



2874 

 3020 

 3021 



3081 

 3087 

 4154 



2911 

 2492 



18.3 















Arnautka 



Do... 



22.3 



22.6 



. 8.3 

 11.5 



9.2 



4.0 



c7.4 



5.3 





 

 

 

 

 





 

 

 

 

 



17.1 



11.7 



Do... 



21.3 



24.8 

 24.9 

 c23.8 

 21.0 

 23.2 

 21.7 

 22.5 

 22'. 7 



16.2 



22.6 



19.5 



6 21.4 



22.6 













Do 



15.6 

 19.1 



11.6 



Do 



Do... 



11.8 



Do... 





























Pererodka 



23.2 

 20.9 



11.7 



5.2 



5.0 



12.8 





 









 



1.9 







3.8 













 



16.7 

 16.5 



16.3 

 15.8 

 16.8 

 16.6 

 15.0 



14.2 

 14.1 



11.3 





10.9 



Fife: 



Ghirka 



9.8 



Glyndon (Minn. No. 163) 















Power 



18.5 

 19.3 



17.3 

 15.0 



10.6 

 10.3 





 



10.5 



Rysting 



9.9 



Bluestem: 





Do 



18.3 



17.0 



13.8 



9.0 







9.2 



Do... 





Preston: 











 

 



11.7 

 4.5 



19.5 

 19.0 



16.2 



14.6 

 17.1 





Do 

























Miscellaneous: 















16.2 



16.0 



12.8 







11.1 







a Cereal Investigations number. & Average of two check plats. c Average of three check plats. 



The rainfall in 1908 and 1909 was fairly heavy and its distribution 

 was particularly favorable to spring grains, as the greater portion 

 came during the growing season. In 1910 the ground was in excel- 

 lent condition for seeding and the prospects for a crop were excellent 

 until about June 1. The rainfall was so light during the growing 

 season, however, that many of the varieties did not produce grain. 

 There were only two rains of more than 0.5 inch between April 15 and 

 the time the wheat matured, and these two only slightly exceeded 

 that quantity. As a shower of less than 0.5 inch is soon evaporated 

 and is of little benefit to growing crops, particularly in a dry season, 

 the conditions were especially trying during 1910. The moisture 

 stored in the soil the previous season was the principal factor in crop 

 production. 



A surprising feature of the varietal test in 1910 was the larger yields 

 produced by the common spring wheats in a season when it appeared 

 that the durum varieties should have yielded best. The production 

 of straw of the latter was sufficient for a heavy yield of grain, much 

 greater than from the common varieties. From the appearance of 

 the plats they seemed to have withstood the drought better than the 

 common wheats, but when they matured it was found that many 

 heads contained Little or no grain. The only explanation of the differ- 

 4506°— Bull. 297—15 3 



