26 



BULLETIN 68, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



3,500 to 4,000 feet. At the low altitudes pasture is available much 

 earlier iiithe spring and later in the autumn than at the higher altitudes. 

 In the mountain valleys all of the gram fed is raised, while in the lower 

 districts most of the grain consumed is purchased from the near-by 

 wheat farms. In the lower districts corn is successfully grown. In 

 the higher valleys corn has not proved a success. 



PASTURE CROPS. 



Table IX. — Pasture crops in the irrigated valleys. 



Crops. 



When planted . 



Approximate dates when used. 



Number 



of hogs an 



acre will 



carry. 



Red clover 



Previous year 



March 25 to November 10 



After grain is harvested to 



November 10. 

 April 1 to to November 1 



10 to 20 



Do 



Early spring with wheat, oats, 



or barley. 

 Previous year 



10 to 20 



Alfalfa 



10 to 20 









Alfalfa is most generally used for hog pasture under irrigation. 

 There are many who prefer clover, however, especially in the moun- 

 tam valleys, because it starts growth earlier in spring and is less m- 

 jured by fall frost than alfalfa. The two crops are sometimes grown 

 together. It is claimed that a mixture of the two will carry nearly 

 one-third more hogs per acre than either grown alone. 



In the rnountain valleys 'where the cereals are important crops, 

 clover fits into the rotations better than alfalfa. In the Powder River 

 Valley, Oreg., red clover is grown in a 2-year rotation with wheat, oats, 

 or barley. The clover is sown in the early spring and after the grain 

 is harvested makes excellent pasture until winter. The following 

 June a crop of hay is cut. About the middle of July, when the second 

 crop is about 10 inches high, the clover is plowed under and the ground 

 worked down immediately. The following spring the land is again 

 sown to clover and wheat, oats, or barley. Where there is plenty of 

 water for irrigation throughout the season, the clover sod is not 

 plowed under until during the autumn. 



WINTER FEEDS. 



Table X. — Winter feeds in the irrigated valleys. 



Crops. 



When planted. 



When used. 



Alfalfa hay 



A previous year 



November 1 to April 15. 

 Do. 



Root crops 



April and May . . 



Bundle or headed wheat 



Fall or spring 



Late fall, winter, and early spring. 

 Do. 



Field peas 





Artichokes' 



April (same as potatoes) 



November 1 to April 15. 





' Artichokes are best adapted to the lower irrigated districts, where the winters are open enough to permit 

 the hogs to work on the tubers. They are used from the time that alfalfa pasture fails in the autumn until 

 it is available again in the .spring. Even in tlw lower valleys there are times during the winter when the 

 ground is frozen loo hard for the hogs to root out the tubers. Alfalfa hay, roots, or other feed must then 

 take the place of the artichokes. 



A discussion of the use of these crops will be found under "Winter 

 feeds," pages 21 to 23. 



