CEREALS OX THE BELLE FOURCHE EXPERIMENT FARM. 37 
RYE. 
Spring rye has not been grown at Xewell except in 1908 and the 
crop was not very successful. "Winter rye is considered much 
more promising. Winter rye was grown from 1913 to 1917, in- 
clusive. Only one variety, Swedish (Minn. Xo. 2), C. I. No. 137, 
has been grown in plats on dry land. In 1913 this was injured at 
flowering time by hot winds, which caused considerable floret sterility 
and also before maturity by a hailstorm which shattered much of the 
grain. The 1914 and 1917 crops were reduced by drought, the 1915 
crop was slightly injured by rust, and the 1916 crop by both drought 
and rust. The yields ranged from 5.3 bushels in 1913 to 44.5 bushels 
per acre in 1915. The 5-year yield is 20.6 bushels per acre. The 
yield of Swedish winter rye in pounds per acre in comparison with 
winter wheat and several spring grains is shown in Table XXIX 
(p. 41). The rye has yielded less than winter wheat, spring wheat, 
oats, and barley, and is consequently considered a less profitable crop 
to grow. However, it is hardier and more certain than winter wheat 
and can be sown later. The greater hardiness of winter rye is 
shown in figure 8. Rye may be drilled in small grain stubble in the 
fall, with fair chances of obtaining a crop of grain or hay. 
Two other varieties of winter rye have been grown in nursery 
experiments. One of these. North Dakota Xo. 959, is very hardy, 
but neither this nor the other variety, known as C. I. Xo. 178, yielded 
as well as the Swedish variety. 
BUCKWHEAT. 
The growing of buckwheat on dry land was attempted only in 
1908. Xo seed was matured. Apparently buckwheat is not adapted 
to growing under the dry conditions which usually prevail at Xewell. 
PROSO. 
Proso, 9 or hog millet, is an early maturing millet the seed of which 
is used for grain. It is best adapted to the northern Great Plains 
and prairie sections, where it is grown to a limited extent as a catch 
crop. It is well suited to the climatic conditions in South Dakota. 
Other spring cereals on the average produce more grain per acre 
than proso, but in some seasons proso has outyielded all other spring 
grain crops. It can be sown even as late as July 1 and still mature 
seed. 
VARIETAL EXPERIMENTS. 
Varietal experiments with proso were begun in 1908, when a few 
varieties were grown in plats and several others in rows. From 1909 
9 For further information concerning proso, see Farmers' Bulletin 1162, " Proso, or 
hog millet," by John H. Martin, 15 p., 4 fig. 1920. 
