26 



BULLETIN 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



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

 earlier in the spring and later in the autunmthan at the higher altitudes. 

 In the mountain valleys all of the grain fed is raised, while hi 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. 









March 25 to November 10 



After grain is harvested to 



November 10. 

 April 1 to to November 1 



10 to 20 



Do.... 

 Alfalfa 





Early spring with wheat, oats, 



or barley. 

 Previous year 



10 to 20 

 10 to 20 









Alfalfa is most generally used for hog pasture under irrigation. 

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

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

 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 mountain 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 hi a 2-year rotation with wheat, oats, 

 or barley. The clover is sown hi the early spring and after the gram 

 is harvested makes excellent pasture until whiter. The following 

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

 crop is about 10 mches 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 hav 







Root crops 





Do. 



Bundle or headed wheat 



Fall or spring 



Late fall, winter, and earlv spring. 



Field peas 





Do. 





April (same as potatoes) 



November 1 to April 15. 





1 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 the lower valleys there are times during the winter when the 

 ground is frozen too 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 

 feeds," pages 21 to 23. 



Winter 



