OEKEAL INVESTIGATIONS ON THE BELLE FOUKCHE FAKM. 23 



average yields from the two dates of seeding varied from 18.7 to 25.5 

 bushels to the acre. 



The same varieties were grown in 1909 as in 1908. The growth in 

 the fall of 1908 was small. There was some damage from the blow- 

 ing of the soil the following spring, for the most part at one end of 

 all the plats. For this reason only a part of each plat was harvested 

 and the yield determined therefrom. The yields were considerably 

 higher than in 1908, ranging from 31.5 to 44.5 bushels. A view of 

 the winter-wheat plats after harvest in 1909 is shown in figure 5. 



In the fall of 1909 the number of varieties was increased to 14 by 

 including 7 which had made a particularly favorable showing in 

 nursery plats the previous season. These latter were grown on 

 fiftieth-acre plats, while the other varieties were grown on tenth-acre 

 plats. The preparation of the soil and the date and rate of seeding 



Fig. 5.— Winter-wheat plats on the Belle Fourche Experiment Farm after harvest in 1909. 



were the same for all plats, however, so that the yields are compa- 

 rable. One of the strains of Turkey, C. I. No. 3055, did not germi- 

 nate, but all the other varieties germinated well and made a little 

 growth before winter. The following spring there was some damage 

 from the blowing of the soil, but the winter survival was fairly good, 

 and quite favorable yields were obtained. 



In 1911 and 1912, as previously stated, failures were recorded from 

 all of the varieties of winter wheat. In the fall of 1912 eleven varie- 

 ties were sown under favorable conditions. Three fiftieth-acre plats 

 of each variety were sown instead of a single tenth-acre plat, as in pre- 

 vious years. The growth during the fall was particularly good, and 

 as the winter was mild there was practically no winterkilling. The 

 rainfall during the growing season was sufficient for crop growth, 

 so that yields ranging from 35 to 39.4 bushels to the acre were 



