FORAGE CROPS TN NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS. 



43 



RED AND ALSIKE CLOVERS. 



Comparatively little red clover or alsike clover is grown alone in the 

 region; and most of this is found in the western part, where water is 

 available for irrigation, and is generally grown in mixture with 

 timothy. Neither of these clovers is suited to dry-land conditions, 

 as they can not withstand any extended period of drought. At 

 Edgeley, which with the exception of Kedfield is the most favorably 

 located with regard to moisture of any of the dry-land experiment 

 stations in this region, the yields have been far from satisfactory. 

 During the years 1908 to 1919 the average production of red-clover 

 hay was only a little over half a ton per acre. Within this period 

 there were five complete failures and only three years of satisfactory 

 yields. The failures, for the most part, were due to winterkilling. 



The results at Dickinson have been somewhat better, as no com- 

 plete failures were reported during the years 1908 to 1914, but only 

 one really good crop was obtained in that time. The average yield 

 for the period was only slightly above four-fifths of a ton per acre. 

 The results are shown in Table 25. 



Table 25. — Hay yields of red clover at Edgeley and Dickinson, N. Dak., in stated 



years. 





Yields per acre, field cured (pounds). 



Station. 



1908 



1909 



1910 



1911 



1912 



1913 1914 



1915 



1916 



1917 



1918 



1919 



Aver 

 age. 





550 

 4,500 







460 



850 

 1,2.50 





 300 



- 

 1,340 



500 

 1,860 



2,480 

 1,900 



2,300 



5,940 



1,300 











1,160 



Dickinson 2 



1,659 















1 Data from United States Department of Agriculture Bulletin 991. 



2 Data from North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 110. 



TIMOTHY AND CLOVER. 



Timothy and clover mixed are grown to some extent in some of 

 the irrigated valleys in the western part of the region. The mixture 

 can not compete with other crops under dry-land conditions. 



GRAIN HAY. 



Very few tests have been conducted with small grains for forage, 

 • since they are used for hay only incidentally. In normal seasons 

 there are other crops that will produce as much forage, or perhaps 

 i more. However, there are seasons when the small grains are of 

 considerable importance. Yields of hay from the various grains, 

 obtained at Havre and Moccasin, are given in Table 26. These are 

 the only points at which yield data have been obtained. 



At Moccasin barley has given a higher yield of forage than any 

 other small grain. The lowest yield was less than one-half ton, in 

 1919, a very unfavorable year, and the highest about 2 tons, in 

 1922. 



At Havre the average yields during the past five years have been 

 hardly enough to justify growing such crops. The lowest yield was 

 one-fourth ton of barley in 1922 and the highest 1 ton of oats in 

 1918. It should be remembered, however, that these seasons have 



