CEREAL INVESTIGATIONS ON THE BELLE FOURCHE FARM. 25 



August 15 to November 1. In addition, all the varieties were sown 



in the fall of 1907 on two dates, September 15 and October 5. In 



growing winter wheat in western South Dakota the date of seeding 



is considered to be next in importance to the selection of the variety 



and the preparation of the seed bed. The climatic conditions vary 



so much from year to year that it is difficult to determine this date 



accurately. The data here printed are believed to be suggestive 



only. 



Table XIV shows the annual and average yields of winter wheat 



obtained on the Belle Fourche Experiment Farm from seeding on 



several dates during the years 1908 to 1913. 



Table XIV. — Annual and average yields of Turkey winter wheat in a date-of-seeding test 

 on the Belle Fourche Experiment Farm, 1908, 1909, 1910, and 1913. 





Date of seeding. 



Yield per acre (bushels). 





1908 



1909 



1910 



1913 



Average. 





1908-1910 

 and 1913. 



1909,1910, 

 and 1913. 







• 





29.2 



28.1 



28.1 



( l ) 



28.1 



21.4 



16.3 



16.1 











37.5 

 39.0 

 40.5 

 43.0 

 42.0 

 37.3 



19.3 

 8.3 

 22.0 

 ( 2 ) 

 13.3 

 13.2 





28.6 





23.0 

 20.3 

 24.3 

 24.7 



25.5 



24.6 



25.1 









23.8 

 25.3 

 23.1 



20.7 



October 16 



25.6 





22.3 





















1 Not sown because of severe droug 



it. 





2 Did i 



lot germ 



mate. 





As shown in Table XIV, the highest yield in 1908, 25.5 bushels 

 per acre, was produced from the latest seeding. The difference in 

 yield from the various dates of seeding was slight, except that the 

 plat sown on September 16 yielded only 20.3 bushels per acre. The 

 fall of 1907 was dry and the comparatively low winter survival and 

 low yield of the earlier sown plats may have been due to the fact that 

 growth was checked by the drought, and hence the plants did not 

 go into the winter in good condition. In the varietal test, which was 

 sown in duplicate on September 15 and October 5, six of the seven 

 varieties produced higher yields from the later seeding. 



The highest yield in 1909 was from the plat sown October 1, with 

 gradual decreases toward the earlier and later seedings. Germination 

 was prompt on the plat sown August 16, but the plants on the plats 

 sown September 1, September 16, and October 1 did not emerge 

 until October 23. Damage from the blowing of the soil prevented 

 taking accurate notes on winterkilling. 



In the fall of 1909 the plats were sown in duplicate with the excep- 

 tion of the first date. For some reason there was no germination on 

 the plats sown October 1. The plants on one series of the plats sown 

 on October 16 and November 1 were killed by the blowing of the soil 



