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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
| BULLETIN No. 398 |
Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry
WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief. ~
- 5 : — Z ———
Washington, 1’. C. K/1R, October 12,1916
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT THE
JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION /
MOCCASIN, MONT.
By
N. C. DONALDSON, Scientific Assistant
Office of Cereal Investigations
(in cooperation with the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station)
CONTENTS
Intreduetion Experiments with Flax
Description of the Judith Basin . .. . Comparison of the Leading Varieties of
The Judith Basin Substation Cereals
Experiments with Wheat
Experiments with Oats
_ Experiments with Barley
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1916
ny}
ti See heaps th Dy
at AN ithe one th re
Lay Sele. Sy
Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry
WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief
Washington, D.C. Vv October 12, 1916
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT THE JUDITH BASIN
SUBSTATION, MOCCASIN, MONT.
By N. C. Donapson,
Scientific Assistant, Office of Cereal Investigations.
(In cooperation with the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station.)
CONTENTS.
Page. ‘ = Page.
MELOMUCEI OM = seme ce Ge eon seine aticre {> Experiments: with batleyes: «4-22-42 4s. see 31
Description of the Judith Basin.-......--..--- 2 | Experiments with flax......-.....-.- ese Be 34
The Judith Basin substation. .....-.-.------ 9 | Comparison of the leading varieties of cereals . 39
Experiments with wheat...........-..-..--- 14 | Experiments with minor cereals............- 39
Experiments with oats..........-...-.----.- 26) MOUNT AI ) PASE Sk ces Le 40
INTRODUCTION.
Experiments with cereals have been conducted cooperatively since
1908 at the Judith Basin substation,! Moccasin, Mont., by the Office
of Cereal Investigations of the Bureau of Plant Industry and the
Montana Agricultural Experiment Station. The memorandum of
understanding between the two parties specifies that—
The objects of these cooperative investigations shall be (1) to improve the cereals
of the northern Plains region by introducing better varieties than those now grown,
especially with regard to drought resistance, yield, quality, earliness, etc., and (2) to
conduct such other experiments as may seem advisable for the accomplishment of
the greatest possible good to the dry-land interests of the State.
This bulletm presents briefly the results of these investigations,
together with such conclusions as they seem to warrant. All experi-
ments here reported have been conducted under dry-land conditions.
i The Judith Basin substation was established in 1908 by the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station
in cooperation with the Bureau of Plant Industry. Prof. F. B. Linfield has been director of the State sta-
tion since the substation was started. Prof. Alfred Atkinson, head of the agronomy department at the
State station, has had direct charge of the substation for the State. Mr. J. M. Stephens has been superin-
tendent of the substation since its establishment. - Mr. E. L. Adams wasin charge of the experiments with
cereals from 1909 to 1912. On his transfer to another station in May of the latter year, the writer of this |
bulletin was appointed agent of the Office of Cereal Investigations to take charge of the cooperative cereal
work and on October 1, 1912, was appointed scientific assistant.
48601°—Bull. 398—16——1
2 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
DESCRIPTION OF THE JUDITH BASIN.
The following rather detailed description of the Judith Basin and
the conditions obtaining there allows comparison with other parts
of the State of Montana where it is believed that the substation
results are applicable.
TOPOGRAPHY.
The Judith Basin is an area of nearly 2,000,000 acres of tillable
bench land lying in the western half of Fergus County, Mont. The
basin, so called because it is nearly surrounded by mountains, is
about 75 miles from east to west and 50 miles from north to south.
The Little Belt Mountains form the southern and western boundaries.
The Highwood Mountains and the Bad Lands, or breaks, of the
Missouri River lie to the north. The North and South Moccasin, the
Judith, and the Snowy Mountains form the eastern boundary.
The basin is drained by the Judith River and its tributaries. Part
of the land along the river and creek bottoms can be irrigated, but by
far the larger part of the district is classed as dry land.
Until a few years ago the Judith Basin was a range country. The
only land farmed was along the river and creek bottoms, while the
bench lands were used to pasture great herds of cattle and sheep.
Within the last 10 years practically all the tillable land in the Judith
Basin has been brought under cultivation. Winter wheat is raised
almost exclusively, although a few of the farmers are gradually
working into a more diversified system of farming.
SOILS.
The soils of the Judith Basin are rather variable. The surface soil
is a dark, heavy clay loam of limestone origin, which varies in depth
from a few inches to 3 feet. The soil when wet becomes very sticky,
and because of its adhesive character can be plowed only with a disk
plow. Analysis of the soil shows that apparently it is quite rich in
available plant food. The subsoil to a depth of 30 feet is composed
of limestone gravel closely cemented together and is of such character -
as will not allow the storage of water or the development of roots.
The composition of the soil at the substation, as determined by
mechanical analysis, is shown in Table I. The stickiness of the soil
is due largely to its high percentage of silt and clay, 40.7 and 24.3 per
cent, respectively, in the surface foot.
TaBLe 1.—Composition of the soil at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., as
determined by mechanical analysis.
!
| Constituents.
First
foot.
_ First Second
foot. foot.
Second
Constituents. foot.
| |
| Per cent. | Per cent. ] Per cent. | Per cent.
| 0.9 | 3.4
Witte ipravel! S252 2). ose ee 9 Ie Veryone SanGessene = oceans 13 11.6
Coarse sand: >5o-% Sees Bee 2.7 | 23r Ste: ce eae te eee eee 40.7 33.3
Meditimisandes Sos s5 Stas ee 4.4 | 3:2 Clay.: 0s, oe Se ee 24.3 38.1
Mineisand 324 Cee 13.3 | 10.4 |
1}
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 3
NATIVE GRASSES.
In the. original state the bench lands of the Judith Basin are covered
with grass. The most important native grass is grama grass (Boute-
loua oligostachya). Buffalo grass (Bulbulis dactyloides), western
wheat-grass (Agropyron smithu, formerly A. occidentale), slender
wheat-grass (Agropyron tenerum), and needle grass (Stipa comata
and S. viridula) are also found, but are not as abundant as the grama
grass. The grasses on the bench land make very good pasture,
but seldom grow tall enough to be cut for hay.
CLIMATE.
Before discussing crop yields or attempting to draw any conclusions
it is necessary to have in mind the climatic factors affecting crop
erowth. The most important of these factors are (1) seasonal and
annual rainfall, (2) the seasonal evaporation, and (3) temperature,
with special reference to the length of the growing season as limited
by the spring and fall frosts. With the exception of the rainfall
records from 1898 to 1908, all data on these factors here presented
have been obtained at the substation at Moccasin.
PRECIPITATION.
Table II gives the annual and average precipitation by months in
the vicinity of Moccasin for the 18 years from 1898 to 1915, inclusive.
Previous to 1909 the records were taken at Utica, 7 miles southwest
of the substation. Since that time they have been taken at the
substation by the Biophysical Laboratory of the Bureau of Plant
Industry. The average annual precipitation for 18 years (Table IT)
is 16.66 inches. During this time the maximum precipitation in any
one year was 23.76 inches (1909), and the minimum, 10.42 mches
(1900).
The peculiar soil conditions existing at Moccasin and more or less
throughout the Judith Basin make it nearly impossible to store any
appreciable amount of moisture in the soul. The seasonal distribution
of the rainfall, therefore, is of great importance. The growing season
for spring grains at Moccasin extends from about April 1 to August 10.
Since the precipitation that falls after the 1st of August has little
effect on the yields of the crops, the growing season is considered as
extending from April 1 to July 31. The average precipitation in
this 4-month period during 18 years is 9.41 inches, or 56 per cent of
the average annual precipitation.
4 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
Tasie Il.— Monthly, seasonal, and annual precipitation (in inches) in the vicinity of
Moccasin, Mont., during the 18 years from 1898 to 1915, inclusive.
[Data from the records of the United States Weather Bureau and of the Biophysical Laboratory of the
Bureau of Plant Industry.] 4
Year Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May. |June.|July.|Aug. | Sept.) Oct. | Nov. | Dee. noe Total
RO Ree He eee ue 0.70 | 0.27 | 1.91 | 1.12 | 5.87 | 5.80 | 3.16 | 0.67 | 0.47 | 1.25 | 1.14 | 0.59 115.95 | 29.95
USOOR ee Ae 1. 69 . 38 OZ 2529) ouoonle La) 2ao lal Maer -28 | 1.15 evel -88 | 9.41 | 16.13
TOWN eo See ee ~45 5 BYb) PON 2585) aod . 44 On on20 . 82 - 86 . 29 aPAL | Gy (083 |) 10 ee
TOD eS ee aoe . 40 . 20 Sf |) eG) Bess | SON WES r/ .90 | 2.42 | 1.39 | 27 3.22 |11.41 | 20.51
90D See eee ae .14 . 24 45 | 1.12 | 1.41 | 3.28 | 1.84 . 67 say .18 | 2.04 APA BD |! THO!
OD Se eee . 50 524 | 2829) SZ 258i 2a .81 | 2.42 .05 . 44 .65 | 9.49 | 15.71
LOO 4 Renae eine -18 soe TAS) Tho alt I Tee Nh Ths 7/3 | a 45} - 42 a2 .54 . 50 -24 | 8.06 | 11.07
LOO 5 Ses eee 9 .16 . 62 5 5) || a OE PAY | eee) .27 .83 .39 OO) A WPS TRS || TORR
TOGO ee 65d)|| 363-1043. 1 9216) 1226192662293: | 2-007 9599)" 570"1 42 GS eG: oonled oer
NOW seeschen eee 1.34 -08 . 61 .43 | 3.21 | 6.75 | 3.51 | 1.47 ie . 20 Ay TSS 9OR please
OOS ease 5) 49 .98 sO} Coail, || 24%) SPAN) |p abs WSS |] UGA |) 66), ae ay PPA NOES YE |) ila
LOO Gee ty ase . 90 JO8s 15 225) WOSN) TeSa ras (al 25540 4a ote aay -49 -30 | 1.21 |10.88 | 23.76
1OIO Ree eee -09 . 14 LO SS 27408 69) SLO 250 2n 254s SG 26 -48 | 6.50 | 15.09
On OR ha ese es .58 355) 104 |) 1566) | 2598))) 2255 -50' | 6.34 | 1.37 | 1.94 | 1. 76 -68 | 7.69 | 21.45
191 . 88 . 60 Sted kel) 162133.) oH! .64 | 1.92 } 1.27] 1.63 | 1.68 .14 .06 | 7.93 | 15.00
ONS eRe see . 89 .09 . 20 5 AE) | PEE ei 1s 1 ole) taO le 163 .93 .38 | 9.32 | 14.96
ROTA ees eae FA) le Son plete) | le 19) || S25O1m a4 . 64 Go| eleplal . 74 . 64 ete Oes Sule onan
POTD eos te . 76 OS | 2.69 | 1.43 | 2.12 | 3.97 | 3.54 .92 | 2.65 .85 | 1.01 .66 |11.06 | 20.68
Average....- . 62 . 38 S85tl ie 29512293 | se23 els 96n) Aybar E42 siele20 . 64 -59 | 9.41 | 16.66
Maximum _.| 1.69 |'1.35 | 2.69 | 2.85 | 7.31 | 6:75 | 3.54 | 6.34 | 4.47 | 6.27 | 2.04 | 3.22 115.95 | 23.76
Minimum...| .09 .08 . 10 - 16 | 1.04 . 44 . 20 AP ath wl .05 a AD 5.03 | 10.42
1 Precipitation records previous to 1909 were taken at Utica, Mont., 7 miles southwest of the substation;
in 1909 and since they were taken at the station.
2T=trace.
Table III gives the average monthly, annual, and seasonal pre-
cipitation at the Judith Basin substation in the nine years from 1907
to 1915, mclusive, the years durmg which experiments have been
conducted at Moccasin. This table has been compiled from the
5 70 UES 2O 25
/907 WU
/908 " CUM rr
1909 UMMA UL
19/0 ”"" CUM
SOM WLM aaa ar
/QI2 WWDUMMMsiiX<$
19/3 D_—IE I = TT
gins LIT /a_____—§ 4
/O/S ” (UMM
AVER “WWII Ua
Fic. 1.—Diagram showing the annual and seasonal precipitation, in inches, at the Judith Basin substa-
tion, Moccasin, Mont., for nine years, 1907 to 1915, inclusive. Solid bars show the seasonal precipita-
tion, while the total length of the bars shows the annual precipitation.
monthly and annual records given in Table II. The data for 1907
and 1908 are from the Weather Bureau records taken at Utica, 7
miles southwest of the station. The data for the remaining years
are from the records of the Biophysical Laboratory of the Bureau
of Plant Industry, taken at Moccasin. Figure 1 presents this data
for each year in graphic form.
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 5
TaBLE III.—Average monthly, seasonal, and annual precipitation (in inches) at Moccasin,
Mont., during the nine years from 1907 to 1915, inclusive.
{Data from the records of the United States Weather Bureau and of the Biophysical Laboratory of the
Bureau of Plant Industry.]
| |
May. June. | July. | Aug.|Sept.| Oct. | Nov. | Dee. Se Total.
|
}
Nine years. | Jan.| Feb. | Mar. | Apr.
0.92 | 1.09 | 3.20 | 3.72 | 1.67 | 2.06 | 1.86
Average....... 0.72 | 0.45 1.68 | 0.67 | 0.43 | 9.69 | 18.51
Maximum..... 1.34 | 1.35 | 2.69 | 1.43 | 7.31 | 6.75 | 3.54 | 6.34 | 4.47 | 6.27 | 1.76 | 1.21 |13.90 | 23.76
Minimum..... 0 . 08 20h |e Lek T | 6.50 | 14.96
LOM eae UI S4a eOL 20 Mercola s.co
1T=trace.
Since winter wheat usually is sown during August and September
the record of seasonal precipitation for winter wheat should include
these months. Table IV shows the annual and average precipita-
tion in the calendar year and in the crop year for winter grains, the
precipitation during the growing season for winter wheat, and the
seasonal precipitation for spring small grains (Apr. 1 to July 31)
in the eight years from 1908 to 1915, inclusive. In the crop year
for winter wheat the figures are for the 12 months ended July 31 of
the year indicated; that is, they show the precipitation affecting the
crop of winter wheat harvested that year. In the same way, the
precipitation during the growing season for winter wheat includes
the three months (August to October) just preceding and following
the seeding season and the four months (April to July) of the follow-
ing spring and summer, thus covering the entire growth period of
the crop. The winter precipitation (November to March, inclusive)
may be easily determined by subtracting the figures for the growing
season [rom those immediately preceding them in Table IV.
Taste IV.—Annual and average precipitation (in inches) during the calendar year and
in the crop year for winter grains and seasonal pr ectpitation for spring grains at the
Judith Basin substation in the eight years from 1908 to 1915, inclusive.
Period. | 1908 | 1909 | 1910 | i911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 ee
oes iia oe ae ee
SAMTITA I Apa y ees ees eee cise As | 21.67] 23.76; 15.09] 21.45; 15.00] 14.96] 15.67] 20.68 18.53
Crop year for winter grains :
(Aug. 1 to July 31).1 14.99 | 22.16] 18.11 | 17.02] 22.31 | 15.28] 16.78) 17.94 18. 07
Growl ing periods for winter
OT OANS Sas eee oe oases cis A297 |. 19.74) 15.67.) 13.61.) 17558 4- 13:90} 12:53 |) 13556 14.94 °
Seasonal, for spring grains
(Apr. Ito J LOU RT AGH bese ested 10.57 | 10.88 6. 50 7.69 7. 93 9.32 9°38) |; 11206 \9* 9296
1 The figures in each column are for the 12 months ended July 31 of the year indicated.
2 The figures in each column are for August to October of the preceding year (precipitation affecting fall
growth) and April to July of the year indicated (precipitation affecting spring and summer growth).
To permit comparison of the precipitation at Moccasin with that in
other portions of the State, the average annual precipitation at 25
different points in Montana, including Moccasin, is given in Table V.
These data were obtained from the records of the United States
Weather Bureau as published by the Montana Agricultural Experi-
6 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
ment Station. In nearly all cases the average is for 16 years, 1898—
1913, inclusive.
Table V shows that the precipitation at Moccasin is a little higher
than in eastern Montana, but-about the same as that of the central
and western parts of the State. The locations of the stations for
which data are given are shown in figure 2.
TaBLe V.—Average precipiiaiion at 25 stations in Montana, including Moccasin, for the
years indicaied.
[Daia irom the records of the United Staies Weather Bureau.)
Siaiion. i
Period. | Average.
Eastern Montana ee
mio Me se ee eee ee 1G years (1998 10 1913)\- =. «==! - = oe eee 13.32
Glendive’. 22.2252: -2 5. aes cca dp: 22 ae oe ee a ee ee i135.
LAD psoas soe goes tose Sansa oss LTE a = es 2322252 === == 28 -- i112
SSP ee ee i ee ee a 13.95
isles (iby; 3.522 = 5.4 a Go: 22 a ee ee ee ae. ee ee 14.07
Maesy cee 2 tsk ee eee, ae | 10 ‘years (1904. in 1913) 2 Se eee 13.32
Craw Ageney == 5.222552 55-22 5-2. 8 | 16 years (1898 io 1913) -- 3 450. 3 oe ee eee 15.37
illness 2. SS. =e 2s ee | 9: years (1906 t01913) 2... 2 eee eee 14.15
Central Moniana:
iGhinonkso: = oof See oe ees ee | 16 a (1908 10:1913) = =e = Se eee 12.39
Piayre.= 23 20 = sl 2 8 nes oa ee oe eee 12. 96
ore Benlon. =~. 222252 22s eS 15 ae (1898 ‘to 1999) .= 2 2. ee. 25 bso, eee 13.71
Greau Palis:] 2 282 sate eee ie years (1958 10,1915): -".-22 eeee 15.56
ihewsstowsts. 2622 2 ee ee 0.5 a ee Se ee Re eee 19.77
ECed AO ANA 2s eS ee | pone Oa ae ee 19.7
DIS es Pe Os Ss 115 ‘years (406 ip 1910) ee ees 143
Ppamennaie 2 22 oo | 16 years (1898 to 1913)__----_-_-__________-______-___- 18.28
Western Montana:
ebermars 882-8 eos ete ee | 16 years (1808 to) 191S)2.-2 2 eee 14.06
(Agel! 23 Ae 58s sess tee ee | Fee ae a ee ee 21.35
LNT STS Se 5 Se Ss ss Lees JE ae SS one Se see sa edees seo esc i ssescee-- 16.0
a SSatke = = ee A eS eee 002222 -22 425.22 oS SS ee See 14.7
LOO iS Pe nae sa See be (ess os Se a oso = Yee Se SSS e ssi: 15.32
Missoula). =< 2232 = 22S aoe ee 00)... 22-0 SiS oe eee eee 15.31
0 ee ae ae Se ee oe eee Ginter eee ee 14.6
WaTbng! 25 ee. Sos ee AS dnss-: 20 ee ee eee 7. 85
SUMMARY,
Average at 8 stations:
it Castern Mostar... -. 2 = en ee ee 14.3
Ina Genial Montana... ee Eee ee Se ee en 15.88
in western Mortara: 2-3. 230.2 re a ee ee eee 16. 22
Wee cae la ENE | ree ce eee Nae ere oe Soe AEN eee ie ee ee 15.44
Moccasin, 16-year period (1898 to 1913) 2. 2 22222. 2 Se SS Se eee 16. 46
EVAPORATION.
Of the climatic factors that mfluence crop growth, evaporation is
probably next in importance to seasonal precipitation. Evaporation
records have been taken at Moccasin since 1909. The evaporation
is determined from a free water surface, the method being the one
usually employed where the Biophysical Laboratory of the Bureau
of Plant Industry is cooperating.?
Records are taken during six months, April to September, inclusive.
In Table VI the evaporation and precipitation in these months are
1 Burke, Edmund, and Pinckney, R. M. Temperature records 1898-1913. An appendix to report
on Montana climate. Mont. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bul. 99, p. 68-143. 1914.
2 Briggs, L. J., and Belz, J. O. Dry farming in relation to rainfall and evaporation. U.S. Depi. Agr.,
Bur. Plant Indus. Bul. 188, p. 16-20. 1910.
udiniiouaaieamaeen eae es
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 7
given for the seven years from 1909 to 1915, inclusive. This table
also gives the total and average precipitation and evaporation in this
period, with the ratio of the total precipitation to total evaporation.
TaBLE VI.— Monthly precipitation and evaporation (in inches) from a free water surface
at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., from April to September of each year
from 1909 to 1915, wnclusive.
[Data from the records of the Biophysical Laboratory of the Bureau of Plant Industry.]
April. May. June. July. August. September. Total.
Year. | Pre- lrvap| Ete |evap-| Pt& |Evap- Pre- lpvap-| Ete |Evap-| ET lEvap-| Be |pvap-|Ratio.
a ora- eS I |Vora= ae Ta- a ora- oad ora- oa ora- oa IS worse
a= las a- jas a- a- a- : Bares a- |4:
Aa tion rion tion Hon tion Tian tion ion tion. tion tion. an tion.
1909 . 1.03} 3.00] 1.34] 4.66} 5.99) 6.00) 2.54) 7.22) 4.21) 7.06) 4.47) 4.67) 19.58] 32.61] 1:1.6
1910. 1.31} 5.18} 2.40) 5.61] 1.69) 7.21} 1.10} 8.28) 2.02) 7.38} 2.54} 6.48) 11.06) 40.14} 1:3.6
1911 1.66) 4.10} 2.98) 5.94} 2.55) 5.13 -50} 7.31| 6.34) 6.35] 1.37] 3.41] 15.40) 32.22) 1:2.1
LOLI 431 2N62o304|) a 4e4 64] 6.39) 1.92} 5.97) 1.27) 6.23) 1.63) 3.42) 10.83) 28.77] 1:2.6
1913... -79| 3.89) 2.64) 4.23) 4.77| 4.90} 1.12) 6.37 Still! 27683 1.01) 5.83] 10.84} 32.58} 1:3.0
1914....} 1.19) 3.21} 2.91] 4.85) 4.64) 4.43 .64) 7.45 S05 decal) Leste SO} TS S227) s258
Oa 1.43) 4.70] 2.12) 4.61) 3.97) 4.35) 3.54! 4.89) .92) 6.51) 2.65] 3.43) 14.63] 28.49) 1:1.9
Average} 1.28! 3.81] 2.92) 4.86) 3.04] 5.49] 1.82) 6 78| 2.27| 6.87) 2.11) 4.62) 13.35] 32.44] 1:2.4
The greatest evaporation in any one year, as shown in Table VI,
was 40.14 inches (1910). While the seasonal precipitation (Apr. 1
to Sept. 30) in 1910 was not quite as low as in some of the other
SHERIDAN
OMALISOELL
WSF
LATH EAD
CHS Of UST aE vAuaU
@4ORT SENTON
13 7
5
\? 2ussotta & COC TIL
153 a
@
S220 LODGE
© 19.8
Fig. 2.—Map of Montana, showing the average annual precipitation (in inches) at the Judith Basin sub-
station and at 24 other points in the State. These averages, for the most part, are for 16 years (1898 to
1915, inclusive).
years, the ratio between the precipitation and evaporation was
wider than in any other year. The average ratio for the seven years
is 1:2.4._ A comparison of this ratio with the ratios for the different
years gives a very fair basis for judging the seasonal conditions under
which the experiments for each year were conducted.
48601°—Bull. 398 —16——2
8 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
WIND.
Measurements of the wind velocity have been taken since 1910 at
the Judith Basin substation by the Biophysical Laboratory of the
Bureau of Plant Industry. The records are taken during six months,
April to September, inclusive. The anemometer stands near the
evaporation tank, at a height of about 2 feet above the surface of
the ground. Table VII gives the average wind velocity from April
to September in the six years from 1910 to 1915, inclusive.
TaBLE VII.—Average wind velocity (in miles per hour) at the Judith Basin substation,
Moccasin, Mont., by months, from April to September of each year from 1910 to 1915,
inclusive.
[Data from the records of the Biophysical Laboratory of the Bureau of Plant Industry.]
Year. Apr. May. June. July. | Aug. Sept. | Average.
LONDON SE ee pen ete 9.0 6.8 6.3 5.9 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 6.33
FAST 3 Wissead Se lmes see See TaD 7.8 8.0 5.4 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 6.38
LOO ee ty oe BN eS 6.6 7.6 5.7 5.1 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 6.35
iS. Goode coc besemee secon a Seas 8.7 6.5 5.3 5.0 5. 4 | 6.5 6. 23
TROIS. cea ek My as Me a 6.3 7.5 6.4 5.5 6.0 7.2 | 6.48
TOTS ete IRC as ge ee 7.6 Ue 6.6 5.1 | 4.9 | 5.9 | 6. 26
invorage at ee NS 7.7 73a 5.4 5.8 Fave ace
Table VII shows that April has the highest average wind velocity,
7.7 miles per hour. The average wind velocity decreases through
May, June, and July, but increases again slightly in August and Sep-
tember. ‘The 6-year average velocity in the six months is 6.35 miles
per hour.
TEMPERATURE.
Table VIII gives the mean, maximum, and minimum tempera-
tures at the Judith Basin substation by months from April to Sep-
tember of each year from 1909 to 1915, inclusive. The highest aver-
age mean temperatures occur in July and August, 63° F., and the
highest average maximum in August, 77° F. Temperatures as high
as 95° F. are rare in the Judith Basin. When hot weather occurs it
lasts for only a short time. Hot, drying winds are uncommon. In
only one year since the station was started have hot winds done any
damage to the growing crops.
Tasie VIII.— Mean, maximum, and minimum temperatures (°F .) at the Judith Basin
substation, Moccasin, Mont., by months, from April to September of each year from
1909 to 1915, inclusive.
[Data from the records of the Biophysical Laboratory of the Bureau of Plant Industry.]
April. May. June. July. August. | September.} ¢
eee ee ss ee ee 3S
| : : 5 : : f . | o
. . SI . g . =
ei E | § : 3 g 5 5 : 5 E|E| 3
g(e(SldlelSlelelSlelelelglelSlaleial §
CO) all ol/siseloisisals Sleleislseleis A= g
P= al Wie tan = eee hee Peete ree ccd reielirciad esi heh tersi peel Cestqiest Shy os
1909S eee est ees 35 | 44 | 25 | 49} 60 | 38 | 58 | 68 | 47 | 63} 74 | 50 | 65 | 78 | 50 | 59 | 68 | 49 55
191 OL ee eee 49 | 65 | 34 | 51 | 62:| 41 |} 60 | 74 | 47 | 68 | 82 | 53 | 62] 75 | 47 | 53 | 63 | 41 Si
bt) ane eee sie ae 38 | 51 | 26 | 48 | 59 | 37} 60 | 71 | 47 | 62 | 77 | 45 | 58] 70 | 47 | 50 | 62} 38 52
Ut) Desc ane eee 43 | 55 | 31) 50 | 60! 37} 61 | 74 | 45 | 61) 75 | 47 | 62] 76 | 47 | 48 | 60 | 35 54
Ue ee See tse 43 | 55 | 31 | 49 | 63 | 38} 60 | 73 | 48 | 62| 76 | 48 | 65 | 81 | 49 | 55 | 72 | 40 56
NOUS ereeeere ey ae 42 | 56 | 29 | 51 | 65 | 37] 57 | 69 | 45 | 68} 83 | 51 | 62) 77) 45} 56) 71 | 40 56
| A) Ree maraE meee 50 2; 37 | 49} 59 | 38 | 52) 62 | 42 | 58 | 69 | 46 | 66] 81} 51 | 49 | 59 | 388 54
Average....| 43 | 55 | 30 | 49 | 61 | 38 | 58 | 70 | 46 | 63 | 76 | 49] 63| 77| 48] 53| 65 | 40] 55
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 9
Table IX gives the dates of the last spring and first fall frosts and
the number of days in the frost-free period in each year from 1909 to
1915, inclusive.
The longest frost-free period was 150 days, in 1909, and the shortest
82 days, in 1910. The latest frost in the spring was on June 4, in
1911. The average date of the last frost in the spring is May 20.
The earliest frost in the fall in the seven years occurred on August 23,
in 1910. The average date of the first frost in the fall 1s September
13. The average length of the frost-free period in the seven years is
116 days.
TaBLeE [X.—Dates of killing frosts, the last in spring and first in fall, with length of
frost-free period in each year from 1909 to 1915, inclusive, at the Judith Basin sub-
station, Moccasin, Mont.
[Data from the records of the Biophysical Laboratory of the Bureau of Plant Industry.]
|
= Lastin | First in |Frost-free | r Lastin | Firstin Frost-free
Year. spring. fall. period. aoa spring. fall. | period.
Days. | S.
Go 8) et sa May 15] Oct. 12 USO OTAL ose eee ease May 12] Sept. 12 123
1 GION eS ae June 2] Aug. 23 fe 21 | LOU Recess ose May 16 | Sept. 11 118
AOU ee a et es June 4] Sept. 15 103 |
EL OUD Erm Re oes May 12 | Sept. 15 126 | Average...... May 20] Sept. 13 116
TOES Mere eRe ets Aten cr May 19] Sept. 9 112 ||
THE JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION.
LOCATION.
The Judith Basin substation is located 2 miles west of the town of
Moccasin, in Fergus County, Mont., in the central part of the Judith
Basin and about the geographical center of the State. The latitude
is about 47° N., and the longitude 109° 45’ W. ‘The substation farm
is section 16, township 15 north, range 14 east. A branch of the
Great Northern Railway from Great Falls to Billings passes through
one corner of the station section.
DESCRIPTION.
The station farm consists of 640 acres. One corner of the farm is
creek bottom and the remainder is level, tillable bench land. About
320 acres are under cultivation and the rest is used for pasture. The
elevation at the substation is 4,300 feet. Figure 3 gives a view of the
substation buildings in 1915.
It is believed that the results obtained at Moccasin are applicable ~
to the whole of the Judith Basin and in a general way to the 20,000,000 .
acres of dry land throughout the State, where the annual rainfall and
its distribution are the chief factors limiting crop growth.
SCOPE OF THE EXPERIMENTS.
The experiments with cereals may be divided into two groups,
plat tests and nursery tests. A general view of the plat and nursery
is shown in figure 4. The plat experiments consist of varietal,
= var = * +
x
10 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
date-of-seeding, and rate-of-seeding tests of winter and spring wheat,
and spring oats, barley, and flax. In different years the number of
varieties under trial has varied from 75 to 125. The number of plats
in the date-of-seeding and rate-of-seeding tests has ranged from 40
to 60, so that the total number of experiments has varied from 115
to 185.
The nursery work at Moccasin covers two general lines: (1) The
introduction and testing of new varieties, and (2) experiments in the
improvement of cereals. New varieties are usually tested in nursery
rows before being grown in plats. This makes possible the testing
of a large number of varieties with much less time and labor than
would be necessary in larger plats.
The effort in the improvement work has been to select individual
heads representing desirable types. These selections usually are
made from the varieties that have given the best results in the plat
Fic. 3.—Buildings at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont.,in 1915. (From a photograph
lent by the Office of Exhibits, U. S. Department of Agriculture.)
tests. These selections are multiplied and tested for yield and other
desirable characters, such as length and stiffness of straw and freedom
from shattering. The poor selections are discarded and the prom-
ising ones increased.
The number of rows has varied from 256 in 1909 to 840 in 1911.
Most of these are devoted to the improvement work. Since 1911 the
number of rows has been reduced as the poor selections are dis-
carded and the promising ones increased.
EXPERIMENTAL METHODS.
That portion of the substation farm used for plat work is divided
into blocks 132 feet wide and 617 feet long, which are separated by
roads 1 rod wide. These blocks may be divided into tenth-acre,
twentieth-acre, or fiftieth-acre plats, each 132 feet, or 8 rods, long.
Prat EXPERIMENTS.
SIZE OF PLATS.
All of the varieties in 1908 and 1909 and nearly all in 1910 were
grown on tenth-acre plats. In 1911 and 1912, because of the short-
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. JIL
age of land, all crops except winter wheat were grown on twentieth-
acre plats. The tenth-acre plats are 2 rods wide and 8 rods long,
with alleys 34 feet wide between the plats and roads 1 rod wide be-
tween the blocks or series of plats. The twentieth-acre plats were
1 rod wide and 8 rods long, with 20-inch alleys.
In 1913 some of the winter wheat varieties were grown on acre
plats. These plats were 8 rods wide and 20 rods long. The spring-
wheat varieties were grown in fiftieth-acre plats, and the rest of the
spring cereals in tenth-acre plats. In 1914 and 1915, part of the
winter-wheat varieties were grown in acre plats and the spring
cereals in fiftieth-acre plats. The fiftieth-acre plats are 6 feet wide
and 8 rods long, with 18-inch alleys. This plat is actually one fifty-
fifth of an acre in area, but as some moisture and plant food are
drawn from the alleys, it seems fair to consider them as fiftieth-acre
plats in computing acre yields.
Fig. 4.—General view of the cereal experiment plats at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont.,
1910.
REPLICATION OF PLATS.
From 1908 until 1913 all varieties were grown in single tenth-acre
or twentieth-acre plats. In every year except 1908 check plats of a
standard variety were grown. In 1913 the spring-wheat varieties
were grown in replicated fiftieth-acre plats, and in 1914 and 1915 all
crops except the winter-wheat varieties in acre plats were grown in
this way. A 6-foot drill is used and one drill width across the series
(S rods) covers one-fiftieth of an acre. As stated before, these plats
are really one fifty-fifth of an acre in area, but in computing acre yields
they are considered as one-fiftieth of an acre. In the system of plat
replication in use at the Judith Basin substation five plats of each |
variety are grown. ‘These plats are distributed throughout the space
devoted to the test. In computing the yields of the varieties grown
in replicated plats the average yield of the five fiftieth-acre plats of
any one variety is obtained and the acre yield then computed.
PREPARATION OF THE LAND.
With few exceptions all the varietal tests of cereals have been con-
ducted on fallow ground. In 1908 the crops were sown on sod
i ype BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
broken-in 1907. In 1910 it was necessary to grow the barley varie-
ties on land that had been cropped to barley the previous year. In
1911 and 1912 the flax varieties were sown on ground that had pro-
duced a crop the year previous. In all other cases the varietal ex-
periments were conducted on fallow ground. A good job of breaking
is shown in figure 5.
Where the land was continuously cropped, the plowing was done
in the spring and a good seed bed prepared before sowing. The
fallow ground was usually plowed in June or July, after weeds and
Fig. 5.—Sod land in the Judith Basin broken with a moldboard plow. The plowshould have been
followed by a heavy roller to flatten the furrow slice and bring it in contact with the moist subsoil.
volunteer grain were well started. Plowing was done with a disk
plow to a depth of 7 to 8 inches. It was found that if the land was
worked down smooth after plowing there was likely to be considerable
blowing of the soil during the winter; consequently, it has been the
custom to leave the land rough until spring, when it is worked down
with the disk and spike-tooth harrows to form a good seed bed.
In the preparation of the land an effort has been made to follow
actual farm practices as closely as possible. In some cases it has
been necessary to do some cultivating and hand weeding in order to
keep the land uniform, but on the whole the plats have not received
any more cultivation than would be given under good farming
conditions.
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 18}
TREATMENT OF CROPS.
The seeding has been done with an 8-foot double-disk and a 6-foot
single-disk drill. On each drill the spouts were 6 inches apart. After
seeding no cultivation has been given the plats. In some years it
was necessary to cultivate the alleys and roads in order to kill the
weeds. In the 18-inch alleys between the fiftieth-acre plats the
weeds are pulled by hand, and no cultivation is necessary.
Harvesting is done with a binder. The grain is shocked on the
plats and remains there until it is thrashed. The thrashing is done
with a small thrasher with a 26-inch cylinder. Since the varieties
have been grown in the replicated plats, one plat of each variety has
been carefully rogued and the crop from this plat thrashed in the small
nursery thrasher. By this method it is possible to avoid the mixture
that takes place in the larger thrasher and thus obtain pure seed of
each variety.
CROP RECORDS.
The first notes taken after sowing are on the date of emergence.
After this, notes are taken on the stand of the different varieties.
Since all the varieties of any one cereal are seeded at the same rate
and on the same date all stands are usually uniform, but any differ-
ences are noted. Any disease that may appear is noted, as is also
the percentage of lodging. Records are kept of the dates of heading,
ripening, and cutting of each variety.
Nursery EXPERIMENTS.
The new varieties tested in the nursery are usually grown in 3-rod
or 8-rod rows, depending on the quantity of seed available. In some
cases it is possible to discard some of the varieties the first year, but
usually they are grown two years. By that time it is possible to dis-
card the poor varieties, while the most promising ones are increased.
In the improvement experiments the starting point is usually the
head row. From the head row the good selections are grown in 3-rod
or 8-rod rows, depending on the quantity of seed available. After
being tested in 8-rod rows for two years it is usually possible to dis-
card the poor selections. The more promising ones either are
increased or continued in 8-rod rows. When they are increased they
are usually grown in a hundredth-acre or fiftieth-acre plat for one
or two years before being grown in the regular varietal test.
The selections in head rows are sown by hand. In all the other
nursery work the seeding is done with a grain drill. In seeding the
3-rod and 8-rod rows alternate holes in the drill are closed and the
rows sown 1 foot apart. The rows are harvested by hand and
thrashed in the nursery thrasher. Complete notes are taken on all
selections and varieties. |
14 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
EXPERIMENTS WITH WHEAT.
Wheat is the most important grain crop in Montana. For this
reason the experiments with this crop have been more extensive
than those with any of the other cereals. The experiments at the
Judith Basin substation have included plat and nursery tests with
both spring and winter wheats. Rate-of-seeding and date-of-seeding
experiments with these cereals have also been conducted.
WINTER WHEAT.
In 1915 the production of winter wheat in Montana exceeded the
production of spring wheat by nearly 3,000,000 bushels. In the
Judith Basin winter wheat is grown almost exclusively. In the
eastern part of the State winter wheat can be grown only in favorable
years. In some years good yields are produced, but there is likely
to be winterkilling, so that it is not a sure crop. It is not possible to
draw any definite line marking the boundary of the winter-wheat
area in the State. At Forsyth, in the eastern part of Rosebud
County, winter wheat can be grown successfully. East of Forsyth
it can hardly be recommended, although it has been grown as far
east as Glendive.
Where winter wheat can be grown successfully it yields more than
spring wheat. It is thought that the results obtained from the
winter-wheat tests at the Judith Basin substation are applicable
wherever the crop can be grown in the State.
VARIETAL EXPERIMENTS IN FIELD PLATs.
ANNUAL RESULTS.
The varietal experiments with winter wheat at Moccasin have
included the varieties and strains that have given the best results in
the winter-wheat section of the Great Plains area. The varieties
have been grown on fallow ground each year. The plats have been
either one-tenth acre or 1 acre.
In the fall of 1908, 15 varieties and strains of winter wheat were
obtained from McPherson, Kans. These were sown September 18,
which is too late for the best results in the Judith Basin. Owing to
the late seeding there was considerable winterkiling. Six varieties
sown 10 days later winterkilled entirely. In 1909 nine more varieties
and strains were obtained from the Nephi (Utah) substation.
Table X gives the annual and average yields of 24 varieties of
winter wheat that have been grown at the Judith Basin substation
during periods of varying length in the seven years from 1909 to
1915, inclusive. In this table the varieties are grouped according to
their relationships. Within the groups they are arranged alpha-
betically.
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 15
TABLE X.—Annual and average yields of varieties of winter wheat at the Judith Basin
substation, Moccasin, Mont., 1909 to 1915, inclusive.
Yield per acre (bushels).
Average.
Group and variety. G by :
1909 | 1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 |21914 |21915| Three Five Seven
years years years
(1909 to | (1909 to | (1909 to
| 1911) 1913) 1915)
Crimean:
Alberta Red.-..-- RSV) | aoaoe SON Ra os0n | pel OO 234508255) | 749 spl eer eens | ere b 33.3
JST NARS = Soge ones IB) |looosce SORSY | OON OM ise area aerate | eee oasyoes| oes care | Pate See | Sy ore aie | ee
Beloglina......... TG BSR. 74] 2S Gi) FES lookaedleacsos|ocosac||acosoe D2TSE| Ee Oe eee Re ree
Doz. TV OES O |) BPE 70 | -6¥ES |), eh) lesadecllococscllessede BOERS: [Gosh cee alban
Crimeane =e ZB P} | PRT | BeEO 1) 20583 PAT |rewle@ lees callecocoe 32. 7 280m | Aen meee
OSGeee en re IVER) BES SPREE E Oh WEE Sae cAligaeccolleuaaue Dc 2) ees eal eee
1D) OAs 1435 | 30.7 | 40.1 | 33.3 | 18.0 |@28.0 | 23.8 | 49.5 34. 7 30. 0 31.9
ID Oe ees 14363 (024525 o4e2e|to2ede eelron | noOs On meee | eae 30. 4 Psi Gee ee seade
IDO Go aoe 1437 | 27.5 | 37.4 | 40.2 | 14.7 1435.3 | 22.7 | 51.0 35. 0 31.0 SVX /
iD) OMe eee 1559 | 25.0 | 35.3 | 40.0 | 10.0 | 35.0 | 22.4 | 49.2 33. 4 29. 0 30.9
Keharkofeess eee 1442 | 20.7 | 46.2 | 43.3 | 17.0 j¢33.1 | 25.5 | 49.0 36. 7 32. 0 S3n0
Oeste oe 1583 | 32.8] 48.0 | 41.3 | 22.7 |a@31.1 | 24.5 | 49.4 40. 7 35. 2 BHC
OTE OMA) eee TSB) || PE © 11 BOS) || 2 ec ee al sascadlooqusaleauase Day Ad EP ee eae |e nice
URKOV.s5 45 ee TI5SY4 || TS Bs] PLS || SB 7 |) TEE OT AO cc caclscodec Af 2450) | ree eas
OR gees TIS AL |! SEs} cal | Boe 76 |) alls Bal) Ah Of snoescllcceoee 34. 2 SO Sia een
AD) Qe ees ee IG Neoeace PAS CAM Oe Yet fas leven et se eee en Laat a ea Bae ae gE I ee eal Wg
DORE eae 1558 | 21.7 | 48.7 | 48.7 | 22.7 1432.1 | 25.8 | 49.2 36. 4 31.8 34.1
Do 2998) | sane IBS| GUST |) ARES PBESE)||sSoace lsooouu laoscdoosaslbsccucucbclloccceaseue
Hungarian:
IB ACS ka ee 1562)| Serene DEA OME ZO S| ae | eee ate | eee | eee te | sl ere eae ea Pitre ee ar
Weissenberg.....- TSGSeL 2A fe le Sosau | oonte lasek a5 | ens ere spate ce Gj eae Nr 8 cP Aca
Miscellaneous: |
Currella eee: POND Nossace DAG AT Busi Os Leena ese tert) ees tsae Le sea | eos ate te seer, i ual ieee
Ghirka Winter....| 14388 |...-.-- PAYA || 8840) lescece [Pore ee | ene pene HEY SE eer Fk ret en de el es
KOnOIde = eee 200 Tall eee ae TES) Be a loneeee | eats casas cen oe BU OSA Shoe Sian eereeS
Zimmerman...... 290 Glee 2194! )| B85 |leassce ieeet ates sa lpsiaas> Wana eee
}
a Yields from acre plats. b Average for six years only, 1910 to 1915.
As stated previously, the yields in 1909 were lowered on account
of winterkilling. The average survival on the winter-wheat plats
in the spring of 1909 was 41 per cent. Wheat that was sown early
did not suffer from winterkilling and yielded from 45 to 50 bushels
per acre.
In 1910 and 1911 the seasonal precipitation was below the average,
but as there was no hot weather and most of the seasonal rainfall
came in May and June, good yields were obtained.
In 1912 the rainfall in May was above normal, while the precipita-
tion for June was nearly 3 inches below normal. As a result the
winter-wheat varieties headed early. <A local hailstorm on July 11,
when the wheat was fully headed, reduced the yields about 50 per
cent.
In 1913 conditions were about normal and an average crop was pro- -
duced. In 1914 there was abnormally heavy rainfall in May and
June, followed by unusually hot, dry weather in July. This caused
the wheat to ripen early. The yields were the lowest recorded at the
station, with the exception of those produced in 1912, and the quality
of grain was poor.
In 1915 the temperature during the growing season was below
normal, while the rainfall was more than 2 inches above normal.
48601°—Bull. 398-16 3
16 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
The yields produced were the highest ever recorded at the station.
Figure 6 shows the winter-wheat varieties grown in replicated fiftieth-
acre plats in 1915.
In the fall of 1912 and of each succeeding year the seven leading
varieties of winter wheat were seeded on acre plats. This change
was made in order to test these varieties on a large scale thie
actual field conditions and to have seed of the best varieties available
for distribution. Table XI gives the annual and average yields of
these seven varieties on acre plats in the three years, 1913, 1914, and
1915. The land where these varieties were grown was not always
in the best of tilth. The plan was to give the land only such cultiva-
Fic. 6.—Replicated plats of winter-wheat varieties at the Judith Basin substation, 1915. (Froma
photograph lent by the Office of Exhibits, U. S. Department of Agriculture.)
tion as it would receive under average farm conditions. The yields
from the acre plats were not as high as the yields of the same varieties
grown in the smaller plats.
TasBLeE XI.—Annual and average yield of seven varieties of winter wheat grown tn acre
plats at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., in the three years from 1913 to
1915, inclusive.
Yield per acre (bushels). Yield per acre (bushels).
Variety. Kee | | Variety. C. I.
| N° | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | Aver | |X | yo13 | roi | 1915 | Ave
rome “| age. [Sa Ne
yer | Beart en Meds en
Alberta Red... ...| 2979 | 34.0 | 25.5 | 49.1} 36.2 || Kharkof.......... 1442 | 33.1 | 25.5] 49.0] 35.9
Crimean.......--- 1435 | 28.0] 23.8| 49.5| 33.8 |] LOY ae ee Oe 1583 | 31.1 | 24.5 | 49.4] 35.0
Dol etee od: =: 1437 | 35.3 | 9257) 510.4) 36. 3)]|tarkey. Octane sees 1558 | 32.1 | 25.8 | 49.2] 35.7
Die sea ees | 1559 | 35.0 | 22.4 | 49.2 | 35.5 | |
i j
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. IY
Table XI shows that with the exception of the Crimean (C. I. No.
1435) there is little difference in the average yields of the different
varieties. In 1913 the Kharkof (C. I. No. 1583) was grown on the
outside plat in the series. There was considerable blowing of the
soil during the fall and winter, and in consequence the stand and
yield of this plat were reduced.
SUMMARY OF WINTER-WHEAT YIELDS.
Of the varieties that have been tested in plats, only six have been
grown during the full period. One additional variety, the Alberta
Red, has been grown for six years. The yields of these seven varieties
are from acre plats in 1913, 1914, and 1915, and are not quite as high
as they would have been had the varieties been grown in small plats
under more favorable conditions.
Table X shows that of these varieties the Kharkof (C. I. No. 1583)
has the highest average yield, 35.7 bushels per acre. This variety
was also the highest in average yield in the 3-year and 5-year periods.
A study of the yields of the Kharkof (C. I. No. 1583) shows that in
1909 and 1910 it was the highest yielding variety. In 1909 the
stands of the varieties were reduced by winterkilling and the Kharkof
came through with a higher percentage of survival than any of the
others. In 1910, when the seasonal precipitation was the lowest
recorded at the substation, the yield of the Kharkof wheat was
considerably higher than that of any of the other varieties.
LEADING VARIETIES OF WINTER WHEAT.
Of the 24 varieties of winter wheat that are listed in Table X no
less than 18 belong to the Crimean group. These wheats have
bearded spikes with white glabrous glumes and hard red kernels.
They were imported into this country from southern Russia and
are now extensively grown in the central Great Plains and the Pacific
Northwest. They are the most important varieties of winter wheat
erown in Montana.
The Turkey is probably the best known variety, but the Kharkof
and Crimean scarcely can be distinguished from it. The Kharkof,
which has been the leading variety of winter wheat at the Judith
Basin substation, 1s thought to be a superior strain of the Crimean
group. It seems to be more hardy and to stand drought better
than the other varieties, although there are not very large differ-
ences in the average yield of the Kharkof, Turkey, and Crimean
varieties. |
The Kharkof wheat has been increased for distribution among
the farmers. This work was started in 1912 and since that time
about 2,000 bushels have been sold from the station to farmers for
18 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
seed. This seed has been distributed not only among the farmers
in the Judith Basin, but in other parts of the State as well. Reports
obtained from farmers who are growing this variety in different
parts of Montana indicate that they consider it better than other
similar varieties. Some farmers claim that the Kharkof yields
from 5 to 10 bushels more than any common strain of Turkey which
they had been growing.
The average dates of seeding, heading, and maturity, the height,
yield per acre of grain and of straw, and weight per bushel of the
seven leading varieties of winter wheat are given in Table XII.
TaBLE XII.—Average dates of seeding, heading, and maturity, days from seeding to
maturity, height, yreld of grain and straw, and weight per bushel of seven leading winter-
wheat varieties at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., in seven years, 1909
to 1915, inclusive.
Average date— Yield per acre.
C.I Seeding Weight
Variety. NG S| tac ona a A ee Height |= a DG:
Sown. | Headed.| Ripe. | ‘Utty- Grain. | Straw, | Pushel.
|
Days. | Inches. | Bushels. Pounds.|Pounds.
Alberta Red...--.--.---- 2979 | Sept. 1] June 27| Aug. 4 338 39 | 233.3 | 3,292 59.6
Crimean seen eee 14355 |eend Ober ee | eae Olea eed Onna 338 38 31.9 | 3,660 | 59.8
ADO) pe src en ae LAS Tal eee GC Obese Osea ||EeeG Ossee 338 39 32.6 | 3,680 | 60. £
WD OFS Bas geese. 155 98| Bend 08s | band O82 aoe CL OSeeae 338 38 30.9 | 3,690 | 60. L
Ken anKOMe eee nce eee 144 eee Obese Olea ea Ofseae 338 38 33.5 | 3,690 | 59.6
DOE os Phe cee 1583) peed OSs ee eae Ofeeee | eee OMe 338 37 35.6 | 3,550 | 60. 1
TUK ey eases cee 15580 ee Osea See Osean see doles: 338 38 34.1] 3,660 60.5
a Average for six years, 1910-1915, inclusive.
VARIETAL EXPERIMENTS IN NuRSERY Rows.
The nursery work with winter wheat at the Judith Basin sub-
station has included the testing of new varieties and strains and the
making and testing of selections. New varieties are usually grown
in nursery rows, in order to determine their hardiness and something
of their yielding powers before they are tested in plats.
In 1909 a large number of head selections were made from some
of the best varieties. These were sown in head rows and the most
promising were saved and sown in increase rows in 1910. Additional
selections were made in 1910 and 1911, partly within the pure lines
and partly from the mass varieties. In every case the selections
appearing most promising the next year were saved and grown
again.
In 1912 various selections were grown in hundredth-acre plats,
8-rod rows, and in head rows. The hail that year almost completely
destroyed the winter-wheat nursery. No yields could be determined,
though some plants survived the hail. From the records of previous
years it was possible to determine which were the most promising
selections. Some seed of these was obtained from surviving plants
and sown that fall. Most of the selections had then been grown long
enough to determine which were the most promising. Since that
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 19
time most of the effort in the nursery work has been devoted to
studying and increasing the selections already made rather than to
the making of new ones.
At the present time nine selections are being grown in replicated
plats in comparison with the mass variety, the Kharkof (C. I. No.
1583). Milling and baking tests are being conducted to determine
their value in comparison with commercial varieties.
DATE-OF-SEEDING EXPERIMENTS.
Date-of-seeding tests with winter wheat have been conducted for
six years. During the first three years, the Turkey (C. I. No. 1558)
was used, while during the last three years the Kharkof (C. I. No. 1583)
wassown. ‘The dates included have ranged from August 1 to October
15. The results of these experiments have been rather variable,
due, no doubt, to the variations in climatic conditions during August
and September of the different years. In 1909 the earliest seeding,
August 1, gave the best results. In that year there was considerable
winterkilling in the late-sown plats. On the average, the best
results have been obtained from plats sown between August 12 and
September 20. It may happen in some years that there is not
- enough moisture in the soil in August and September to help germinate
the wheat and give it a good start. When this condition occurs,
late seeding is likely to be better than early seeding.
Table XIII gives the data that have been recorded in the date-of-
seeding experiment. From this table it will be seen that in the six
years the early September seeding (Sept. 1 to 7) has produced
the highest average yield. There is little difference between the yields
produced from seeding at this date and from seeding either about
’ August 15 or September 15. It is probable that seeding between
_ August 10 and September 20 will give good results. Wheat seeded
after the later date is likely to get a poor start in the fall and therefore
to winterkill.
Taste XIII.—Annual and average yields obtained in a daie-of-seeding test with winter
wheat at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., during the six years from 1909
to 1914, inclusive.
Yield per acre (bushels).
|
| 7
Date of seeding. Average.
1909 1910 1911 | 1912 1913 1914
1911 to | Allyears
1914. sown.
A Oe LOR sees tee se eke ees Sx eel 60.5 36.0 30.3 I 28.0 CO es Ses ewe e 38.7
INDRPREA TO) Oe esses bee Oe 32.0 38.6 31.0 16.7 32.5 28.7 RSP 29.8
SOMutelehOMee tee orace Sena seeee 24.5 36.5 35.6 20.0 46.0 28.7 32.3 31.9
HEPbel ouO20Fen mann ates ost ee see 25.2 (4) 35.3 16.3 35.0 30. 0 29.1 28.3
Cis ee ee Set Nee 24.0 30:0 7/5 26.8 23.3 24.4 20.3
OO CER ren tee ne ne () (4) 29.3 1 17.3 28.8 Pala dl Pre A
1 Not sown.
20 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
Table XIII shows that the average yield of plats sown October 1
and October 15 is from 10 to 11 bushels per acre less than that of
plats sown September 1 to 7.
In all the varietal tests at the Judith Basin substation an effort
has been made to sow winter wheat early; that is, between August 10
and September 10. In 1908, the only year when there was much
winterkilling, the seeding was late because the seed was not available
earlier.
RatTE-OF-SEEDING EXPERIMENTS.
Rate-of-seeding experiments with winter wheat were started in
1909 and conducted for six years. During the first three years, the
Turkey (C. I. No. 1558) was used, while during the last three years
the Kharkof (C. I. No. 1583) was sown. The rates of seeding ranged
from 2 to 8 pecks per acre. Table XIV contains the data that have
been obtained from these tests. This table shows that there is but
little difference in the yields produced from the 3-peck and the 4-peck
rates of seeding, the rates from which the highest yields have been
obtained.
Because of the free tillering of winter wheat it is not necessary to
seed heavily in order to get a good stand. Seeding more than 4 pecks
to the acre not only reduces the yield but also the quality of the grain.
Three pecks is the rate usually sown by farmers in the Judith Basin
and is the one at which all of the plats in the varietal tests are sown.
TaBLE XIV.—Annual and average yields obtained in a rate-of-seeding test with winter
wheat at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., during six years, 1909 to 1914,
inclusive.
Yield per acre (bushels).
: | | Average.
Rate of seeding. re
1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 i
1909 to | 1910to »
1914 1913
DIPCCKS 5 iho eos oe ee 16.4 36. 5 33.3 16.7 27.7 | 25.0 25. 8 28.5
SID OCKS tet ee ae ee eee 32.0 41.5 37.3 18.6 32.5 28.8 31.8 32.5
A DOCES sees sea see Saleen 30. 4 38. 0 35. 0 21.7 30. 3 27.8 31. 2 31.2
DB PCCKS a wasn et ee Ste SEE DES 35.0 35.0 19.0 25ST | Oe. fe eee 28.7
OIDOCKS eee eee ee eee eee 23.6 31.6 35.3 20.4 265008| Soe eee see 28. 5
SOCKS Seen ae ee nee Pee eee 22. 8 28. 2 36.8 20. 7 27.0 | eee | Soo = ees 28. 2
SPRING WHEAT.
Spring wheat is not as important a crop in Montana as winter wheat.
In the Judith Basin the acreage of spring wheat is very small in com-
parison with that of winter wheat. In the eastern part of the State,
where winter wheat is not a sure crop, spring wheat is of more
importance.
The work with spring wheat at Moccasin has included field plat
and nursery tests. The varieties tested have included those that
have given the best results in other dry-land districts of the Great
Plains area. :
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 2
The spring-wheat varieties are sown at the rate of 4 pecks to the
acre. The date of seeding has been governed by the climatic con-
ditions. The best results are obtained from seeding as early as soil
and weather conditions in the spring will permit. This date varies,
of course, in different years.
VARIETAL EXPERIMENTS IN FIELD PuatTs.
ANNUAL RESULTS.
The varietal testing of spring wheat was started in 1908, when 20
varieties were grown. ‘They were sown on ground that had been
broken in 1907 and the seed bed was not in good tilth when the varie-
ties were sown on May 5. ‘The precipitation for June and July was
below normal. Asa result of the low precipitation and poor seed bed
low yields were obtained from ail varieties.
In 1909 the varieties were sown on well-prepared fallow ground.
The seeding was not done until May 12. The precipitation that year
was above normal and good yields were obtained from all varieties.
In 1910 the varieties were sown on April 19. The precipitation
was below normal; in fact, the seasonal precipitation for 1910 was the
lowest recorded since the substation was established. The yields of
all varieties were low, the average for the 23 varieties tested being
11.4 bushels per acre. A surprising fact in this year was that the
spring common wheats outyielded the durum varieties. This result
was contrary to the general opinion that the durum varieties are more
resistant to drought than the sprmg common wheats. Low yields of
durum varieties were obtained at several of the field stations in the
Great Plains in 1910.
In 1911, because of a shortage of summer-fallowed land, the spring-
wheat varieties were sown in twentieth-acre plats. The seeding was
done April 20 in a well-prepared seed bed. The precipitation in May
and June was about normal, but there was only 0.5 inch ‘of rain in
July. This was followed by excessive rainfall in August, which came
in time to benefit the spring wheats. The total for the month was
6.34 inches. All varieties produced good yields and the quality of
the grain was good.
In 1912 the precipitation for June was nearly 2 inches below normal.
This was accompanied by rather hot weather. The spring-wheat
varieties were just beginning to head on July 12, when they were
completely destroyed by a severe hailstorm. While most varieties
made some second growth no grain was produced.
A change was made in the method of testing the spring-wheat
varieties in 1913. Instead of seeding them in single tenth-acre or
twentieth-acre plats they were sown in fiftieth-acre plats and each
variety replicated five times. Seeding was done on April 21 on well-
prepared fallow ground. The crop that year was produced under
normal conditions.
22 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
In 1914 the spring wheat was again grown in replicated fiftieth-acre
plats. The seeding was done on April 20. The precipitation in May
and June was above normal. Hot, dry weather in July and August
caused the wheat to ripen early and reduced the yields.
The year 1915 was marked by abnormally high rainfall and low
temperatures during most of the growing season. The spring wheat
was sown in replicated plats on April 9. The yields were the highest
recorded at the substation.
SUMMARY OF SPRING-WHEAT YIELDS.
Table XV gives the annual and average yields of 25 varieties of
spring wheat grown in plat tests at the Judith Basin substation dur-
ing periods of varying length from 1908 to 1915, inclusive.
This table shows that the Galgalos (C. I. No. 2398) has produced
the highest average yield both for the 4-year period (1908-1911)
and the 7-year period (1908-1911 and 1913-1915). This wheat is a
soft variety and is of less value for milling purposes than the hard
wheats. The next highest yielding variety is a durum wheat, the
Pelissier (C. I. No. 1584). This variety has a 7-year average yield
of 27.2 bushels per acre, which is only 0.4 of a bushel less than the
yield of the Galgalos. The durum group, as a whole, has yieided
higher, on the average, than any other group.
TaBLE XV.—Annual and average yrelds of 25 varieties of spring wheat grown in plat
tests at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., during periods of varying length
in seven years, 1908 to 1911 and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
Yield per acre (bushels).
C.T | Average.
Group and variety. Nol
1908 to
1908 to} 1911,
1908 | 1909 | 1910 | 1911 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 :
| 1911 | 1913 to | Petiod
1915 | 2fOwn-
Durum group:
IATIAULK eee ocoe ee ook 1493" 110: 0ulN362 7100025. Oe eee eeeeee aes 72.1187: bal Bape 2 20. 4
Doc... Lenk 1492 |, 40:04:33: 0, 1-146) Sing Se ee ee 20-64 See 20.6
iBeloturkacesc oesee eee 1520 9.5 | 40.3.| 6.5 | 29.0 | 30.0] 25.2 | 40.1 ly 25.8 25.8
Biodunss ae eee TE VAIN SSG Pema tae a IPA Dre ol | Ce oe SU es 1836 [s-2e ee 18.6
GharnovkKa..-.-.-.=s-.. TYE 7 St De! Parsee ut bbs br) S033 [ese sl l55s4 sclleeecnc DOSS ence 20.3
Rubanka tee os ee ee! 1440 5.0 7.8 8.8 | 33.0 | 30.7 | 23.0 | 40.7 21.1 25.5 25.5
Relissiehee es eee on eee 1584 | 10.0 | 41.0 | 10.5 | 28.3 | 32.0 | 26.5 | 42.2 22.5 27.2 27.2
Pererodkaj- es Se 1350 Seite Pater A PPS Ste | SP | SCs |e Oa 22.6 26.8 26.8
Parplnte ici een 22s 3024 | 10.0 | 39.0] 8.5 | 26.0|......|......]._._.- |’ 90. g|-22ee 20.9
RATANTORSS S555 ee cee 1570 aes Peadesss | Ikees yy eZ Sy) eo | Ree ee 20: Qalisc. Geese 20.0
Velvet Don............. 14451 7.5|323| 6.1 | 26.0 | Came PE PSS in |e 18.0
Yellow Gharnovka..... 1444 | 15.0 | 39.3 | 8.2) 27.7 | 32.8 | 25.0 | 39.2 22.5 26.8 26.8
Fife group: |
Cole Hybrid (No. 61)...} 4062 |...... | 30.3 | 10.2 | 31.0 29.7 | 22.5 | 38.0 [eeeteeeae inte 26.9
Ghirka Spring.........- | 1517 3.3 | 34.2 | 13.2 | 25.2 | 29.0 | 23.0 | 38.0 19.0 PEARY MAT |
Glyndon (Minn. No.
163) Postss ese eee VAG) bee se yes Mewes 28. 01) 20205) 22s) 4a Ot ese sl eeeeee ae 27.9
Marquis: eek ee eee SOT de oe |n Aa ee ee eee FP Te (POS ae al [Bes ee Sor Pe S| (Ee oe = Se 33.1
POWEi eae eee SLU y Ok [Rae (Be a hee A 9 8 fee ee eS 2850 |ePAya ISO [Rese eee Sie
Rysting cose enesoeet cece 3022 2.5.) 29:05) 138.051.2720) |. 262°C 123.0 | 4057 18.0 23.1 23.1
Preston group:
RT OLES eee ie se Ame seee on 1596 | 7-5) | 2329) | 46.8) |) 3252 | S0eai| 2st || 42a 20.2 26.3 26.3
Preston (Minn. No. 188).| 2958 |...--- 315.051) 1355) 12520) 1) 2952) 22 a6 eee cere sees 27.1
South Dakota Climax..|......]_...-- 29. Sih SES Gy QE Tee ae be ae ee eee eee 22.5
Bluestem gr
seeeemataes No. 169). | 2874 |.....- 7 a a fe ty Oe et OR | em ee Ree 19.2
Haynes (Minn: ‘No-51): -| 3021); 5:0") 30/0)| 1207} 2100 [2 eee tee ele ee a by i (eee ee 17.0
Miscellaneous:
Galgalos: 225 sone. te Ae 2398 dew 40227 4855 | SieSn oar, | ean sOoD 24.4 27.6 27.6
2116 | sein | See ah 14.84 2007 sy 3 20st: |--------]--=---== 21.9
1 The crop of 1912 was entirely destroyed by hail.
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 23
LEADING VARIETIES OF SPRING WHEAT.
Of the 25 varieties of spring wheat that are listed in Table XV
only 9 have been grown during the entire period. Of these, 5 belong
to the durum group, 2 to the Fife group, 1 to the Preston group, and
1 is a miscellaneous variety. Table XVI gives the average dates of
seeding, heading, and maturity, the average height and weight per
bushel, and the average yields of grain and of straw from each variety
during the seven years. From this table it will be seen that, as a
croup, the durum varieties yield higher than the other groups.
TaBLE XVI.—Average dates of seeding, heading, and maturity, days from seeding to
maturity, height, yield of grain and straw, and weight per bushel of nine leading spring-
wheat varieties at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., during seven years,
1908 to 1911 and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
Average date— Seed- Yield per acre.
aa Weight
Group and variety. . a pag aeIr Ee TRGRRINES SES JB £0. Height per
Seeded. | Headed. | Ripe. ity. Grain. | Straw.! bushel.?
Durum group: Days. | Inches.| Bush. | Lbs. Lbs.
iBeloturkesmecesn-eoe 1520 | Apr. 24 | July 16 | Aug. 24 122 43.5 25.8 | 3,108 59.6
Kulbankasserae ss —e- 1440 |...do..... July 17 | Aug. 26 124 42.5 25.5 | 3,073 59.6
IRIE egcoceacacse 1584 |...do..... Bd Osent Bed Ose- he 124 3.0 27.2 | 2,980 60. 0
Pererodka.....------ 1508 RenGolese= July 15 |} Aug. 25 123 42.0 26.8 | 3,200 59.8
Yellow Gharnovka.-| 1444 |...do..... July 16 | Aug. 26 124 42.6 26.8 | 3,172 59.8
Fife group:
Ghirka Spring.-.-...-- UNG eo cOlOs gsc July 17} Aug. 25 123 37.5 235. | 25510 59.0
Ry stin gee sees eaee ee 3022 |...do..... July 20} Aug. 27 125 39.0 23.1] 2,796 59. 2
‘Preston group:
IRS GESe seems aaeess 1596 |...do..... July 18 | Aug. 25 123 38. 0 26.3 | 3,131 59.4
Miscellaneous:
CalAOSsacceacsssuce 23 98q | sea Obesee July 16} Aug. 26 124 35.5 27.6 | 2,500 59.6
1 Average for six years, 1909 to 1911 and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
2 Average for five years, 1910, 1911, and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
Durum wheat.—The leading durum wheat is the Pelissier (C. I.
No. 1584). This variety has white glabrous glumes and black awns.
The kernels are large, hard, and of a clear amber color. The other
durum varieties that have been grown at Moccasin belong to the
Kubanka group. They have glabrous yellow glumes and yellow
awns.
Common wheat.—Among the common wheats that have been tried,
the Galgalos (C. I. No. 2398) has produced the highest 7-year aver-
age yleld. This variety is beardless, with brown pubescent glumes
and rather large soft white kernels. While it yields well it is consid-
ered by millers to be poor in quality as compared with the hard
wheats.
Of the Fife group, only two varieties have been grown during the
full period. These are the Rysting and Ghirka. The Ghirka ripens
about the same time as the durum varieties, while the Rysting is
somewhat later. These two varieties have yielded from 3 to 4
bushels less than the durum wheats.
The Fretes (C. I. No. 1596) is the only variety belonging to the
Preston group that has been grown during the seven years. This
24 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
variety yields a little more than the Fife varieties, but not quite as
much as the durums.
Table XVII gives the annual and average yields of the leading
variety in each of the groups for 1913, 1914, and 1915. From this
table it will be seen that the Fretes leads, with the Pelissier second
and the Marquis third. The Marquis has been grown at Moccasin
for only three years. During that time it has been among the highest
yielders and is also of high milling quality. A view of plats of the
Marquis and Beloturka varieties, the latter a durum wheat, is shown
in figure 7.
Fic. 7.—End view of plats of the Marquis and Beloturka wheats, the lattera durum variety. (From
TasBLteE XVII.—Annual and average yields of the leading variety in each group of spring
wheat grown at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., during three years,
~
1913 to 1915, inelusive.
Yield per acre (bushels). Yield per acre (bushels).
Group and variety. c is Group and variety. S z :
=e ties - | Aver- rae - - Aver-
1913 | 1914 | 1915 | “YF 1913 | 1914 | 1915 |“¥°
age i age
Durum group: Preston group:
Pelissier ......| 1584 | 32.0 | 26.5 | 42.2 33.6 BaIBies 62 oo 1596 | 35.2 | 25.7 | 42.5 34.5
Fife group: Miscellaneous: ;
Marquis... .-- 3641 | 33.5 | 23.7 | 42.3 33.2 Galgalos......) 2398 | 30.7 | 24.5 | 40.5 31.9
VARIETAL EXPERIMENTS IN NuRSERY Rows.
The nursery work with spring wheat has been conducted along the
same general lines as that with winter wheat. The work was started
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 25
in 1909, when 206 varieties and selections were grown in 2-rod rows.
In 1910 and 1911 head selections were made from the most promising
varieties. In 1912 the spring-wheat nursery was completely de-
stroyed by hail. A reserve supply of seed of a few of the selections
was available and was sown in 1913. At the present time several
selections have been increased and are being tested in fiftieth-acre
plats.
COMPARISON OF SPRING AND WINTER WHEATS.
Table XVIII gives the annual and average yields of the leading
varieties of spring and winter wheats during six years, 1909 to 1911
and 1913 to 1915, inclusive. The average yields are shown graphically
in figure 8. Since the spring wheat was destroyed by hail in 1912, it
was necessary to omit that year. The table shows that on the
WINTER WHEAT
HHARKOF, C.1.V2/58.3-- Ee ees 9S. O SU
HHAPKOF, C1. 9/442- - ee 5S. F SU
TURKEK, C1 N2/558---- Eee 36.0 SY.
SPRING WHEAT
PELISSIER,C 1. 2/584-- a 30.2 BU.
GHIPHA SPRING, C1N2S/7 Ae 277/ BU.
FRETES, C.1NUS96----& fe 29.97 GU.
GALGAL OS, C/.N° 2393-50. 9S
Fic. 8.—Diagram showing the average yields of winter and spring wheat varieties at the Judith Basin
substation for six years, 1909 to 1911 and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
average the winter wheats outyield the spring varieties by about 8
bushels per acre. Heads of representative varieties of the various
groups of wheat are shown in figure 9.
TaBLeE XVIII.—Annual and average yields of leading varieties of winter and spring
wheat grown at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., in the six years 1909
to 1911 and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
Yield per acre (bushels).
Group and variety. c a
1909 | 1910 | 1911 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | Average.
WINTER WHEAT.
Crimean
Ghar KO ac ee ere ari ey ee ee 1583 | 3 48.0 | 41.3 | 31.1 | 24.5 | 49.4 38.0
EG eater ees ge OI ee Bee ae 1442 | 20.7 | 46.2 | 43.3 | 33.1 | 25.5 | 49.0 36:3
BIMUET Kc yess se tere eee IN eR De AE 1558 | 21 ASE e43207 Wo2otal oes P4902, 36.0
SPRING WHEAT
Durum:
HZ CLISSTO Rea ee chee es ee ee | 1584 |} 41.0 | 10.5 | 28.3 | 32.6 | 26.5 | 42.2 30. 2
Fife:
CG OH) Fp 1s ees ae ey he, ee TSE) B¥ER? |) BE | PR PASO REO |) Ske 27.1
Preston
TRTRELE Ss are Se ee a end oe SN es A Rem en UEER PSO GEES | BBE TE SRO PA CORE 29. 4
Miscellaneous:
(al PalOSEe eaters ae Se ee nee secs 2398 | 40.2 | 18.5 | 31.3 | 30.7 | 24.5 | 40.5 30. 9
26 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
In 1909, when there was considerable winterkilling of the winter
wheats, the sprmg wheats produced the larger yields. In 1910 and
1911, which were both years of drought, the winter varieties out-
yielded the spring wheats. In 1913 and 1914 the yields were about
equal. In 1915, when the rainfall was abnormally high, the winter
wheats yielded 6 to 7 bushels more than the spring varieties. For the
six years the average yield of the best winter wheat is 7.8 bushels
higher than that of the best sprmg wheat. It should be remembered
that the yields of winter wheat in 1913, 1914, and 1915 are from acre
plats, while those of spring wheat are from replicated fiftieth-acre
plats.
The growing of winter wheat is to be recommended in the Judith
Basin and generally in Montana wherever it is practicable, because the
Fic. 9.—Heads of representative varieties of some of the important groups of wheat: 1, Turkey; 2,
Fife; 3, Preston (bearded spring); 4, bluestem; and 5, durum,
average yield is higher than that of spring wheat. Ina very dry year
it may yield from three to four times as much as the spring varieties.
EXPERIMENTS WITH OATS.
Next to wheat, oats are the most important cereal crop in Montana.
In 1915 the area sown to oats in the State was estimated at 600,000
acres, with an average yield of 52 bushels per acre. Oats are not
grown as a cash crop like wheat, but for feeding. The yields obtained
at Moccasin are quite satisfactory and show that oats usually can be
successfully grown on the dry lands of the State.
In the varietal tests at Moccasin the small-kerneled early oats have
been sown at the rate of 4 pecks per acre. Seeding tests show but
hittle difference in the results obtained from the 4-peck and 5-peck
rates. In dry years, however, the lower rate of seeding gives the best
yields. The larger kerneled varieties are sown at the rate of 5 pecks
per acre. In a date-of-seeding test the best results were obtained
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH. BASIN SUBSTATION. OA
from seeding as early in the spring as soil and climatic conditions per-
mitted. In all the varietal work the effort has been to seed as early
as possible.
VARIETAL EXPERIMENTS IN FIELD PLATS.
Table XIX gives the annual and average yields of 24 varieties of
oats grown in plats at the Judith Basin substation from 1908 to 1915.
Of the 24 varieties in this table, only 3 have been tested during the
Fie. 10.—Heads of representative varieties of oats (left to right): 1, White Russian; 2, Siberian;
3, Swedish Select; and 4, Sixty-Day.
entire period and only 14 of them are now bemg grown. Heads
of representative varieties of oats are shown in figure 10.
In 1908 the oats were sown in a poor seed bed. Because of this
and the drought in June and July, the yields were low. The year
1909 was one of abnormally high rainfall and good yields were ob-
tained. In 1910 quite severe drought conditions prevailed during the
growing season and the yields were low. It is noticeable that in
this year the early oats outyielded the late varieties. In 1911 the
oats which ripened before the heavy August rains were the only ones
to mature a crop. The rainfall durmg the month was 6.34 inches.
This caused the late oats to make a second growth and they were not
ripe when the first frost came. No crop was produced in 1912 be-
=
28 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
cause of hail. In 1913 and 1914 crops were produced under nearly
normal conditions, although in 1914 the dry weather in July reduced
the yields somewhat. The only year in the period when the late
oats outyielded the early ones was 1915, when the rainfall for the
srowing season was 2 inches above normal and the yields obtained
were the highest recorded at the station.
TaBLE XIX.—Annual and average yields of 24 varieties of oats grown in plats at the
Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., for periods of varying length during the
eight years from 1908 to 1915, inclusive.
Yield per acre (bushels).
| | |
Average.
Group and variety. oe ; ae
1908 | 190S | 1910 | 1911 j 1913 | 1914 | 1915 1908 1913 1908 to
to to 1911, 1913
| 1911 1915 to 1915
; | G
Early:
Karly Champion -...-]....-- NOROR GTZ lieeoseten ine) eee aoe [Sx 7A UY ies (Sa eae
RGM ETSOM see eta ee | 459 | 20.5 ; 80.6 | 32.0 | 67.5 | 68.4 | 59.0 | 90.0 50. 1 12255 58.3
Sixty-Day.: =. .-22---- ! 165 } 20.5 | 84.4 ; 33.0 | 71.2 | 75.3 | 59.0 | 93.7 52.0 76.0 62.4
Sixty-Day selection...| 789 |_.....|...... Ee 68/1 | 78.4 | 57.2 | 94.0 |.._-._-- 76:50 | eee
Done SoG. a eee 6254|E oes | eee | 29.5 | 58.7 | 73.4 | 56.2 | 88.4 }..-_.... (PAN (a eee SEES
d Bo ss See sat a ees 6265524. sea aees [ce Do (|. 80503256508 t95s05| seems y AT (P| pe ce ert =
Midseason:
(Banner keer one ee (le Beas ees ccerel tee ees (area ed (eos |Pelise} || C2bO |aes oe 7320 3|2- see
Ganadiante eon ss-- AAA F550 S250" | elas ite (2) ee | een ena ee Va SDA ya ae |e ee een
DR MIGh esa e es eae | 441 | 20.0 | 76.8 | 23.6 | ()- | 56.2 | 47.3 |100.0 30. 1 67.8 | 46.2
Dakota;No: 42-225. --- EDS Le enree | 7a ey rea On Bere re ese 50.0992 O08 saat ote] See eee
Early Mountain -.---. ||. 7540) 10! OS 1-68: 7S os Snte ee fre 8 eA) Seneca dae at | ey ye i OO
Ganon White = so -= 6] 22 Saas 67.8.8 Be 1). a2 ec cS a I a ee
Golden Rain. -:......- AGS aes Sees 234 G) foe SE Sere ts SIG eee ec a I rd
isineco nates eee (Bis) |lsesobe BREE sacs Sates eters 51203100: 0 222 e ee
Red Algerian........- 2864) 5:5) | 66.4 led: oer) else te een ar ae 21. 85/5 Ben eee
Red Siberian.........- A3Ta| ae GOS2 ipl sae (2) eee ees eee eee Pam ren Ieee ete
SilVermines=ee9 ea s- UNA eee eee ae eer eee teens 490: /1ORl07 12 = 8-2 sae eee eee
Siberian 255 3.2002) Fave Se ey Spams ee ees 70.0 | 46.3 | 98.7 |.......- To ean
Swedish Select......-- | 134 | 15.0 | 77-0 | 22°34) @) | 53-1 | 50.0 7}10850 28.6 | 70 | 46.5
WiICLORY =. cece ote eae ete 24e eee Se cese e287 Ole C) alesse 42.93) 97.0" | S.s5s<2 0] Sec 2eest |e ee
Late: | |
Sparrowbill........... 4433|..15:0 16980 2081] 2 (2) Al a ee nlc eee eee Ta Peano meters
White Russian......-- ATI). -530))-815.05)\ ai 62)- Qe esac lt occ |S |e, ee oaaal eee ee ee
White Tartarian...... [2 SO0R RIS! 3) 'Gyes| 80h eee eee [en eee Za Ch ote aes eeoerse
Wellows Giantess sos-e S420 e530) 65308 | eS a6 see) | eae | Eat coal ee Se 22.1 Ea |-ae. ee est
} |
1 Crop destroyed by hail in 1912.
2 Made second growth during rainy weather in August; not ripe when the first frost came.
In 1908, 1909, 1910, and 1913 the varieties were grown in unrepli-
cated tenth-acre plats and in 1911 and 1912 in unreplicated twentieth-
acre plats. In 1914 and 1915 they were grown in fiftieth-acre
plats replicated five times.
LEADING VARIETIES.
The varieties of oats that have been grown at Moccasin may be
divided into three groups according to their date of maturity—
early, midseason, and late. The early oats have given the best
average results. 3
Data on average dates of heading and of maturity, height, weight
per bushel, and yield of grain and of straw for some of the leading
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT: JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 29
varieties are given in Table XX. The average yields of these
varieties are shown graphically in figure 11.
SIXT} - OA — ~~ ~~~ —— EE ee ea OL Su:
59.3 BY.
Fic. 11.—Diagram showing the average yields of the leading varieties of oats at the Judith Basin sub-
’ station for seven years, 1908 to 1911 and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
TaBLE XX.—Average dates of seeding, heading, and ripening, days from seeding to
maturity, height, weight per bushel, and yield of grain and straw of five leading oat
varieties at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., during the seven years, 1908
to 1911 and 1918 to 1915, inclusive.
Average date— Average yield per acre.
Grain.
CI ae Weight
Group and variety.| Noe aR RT Height. per
i ° , fs 1908 to bushel.
Sown. | Headed.| Ripe. | Tity. Straw.d
1911 1913 to
and | 1915
1913 to Z
1915.
Early yellow: Days.| Inches. | Bush.| Bush.| Lbs. Lbs.
Sixty-Day....| 165] Apr. 29] July 6] Aug. 7 100 36.5 | 62.4] 76.0 | 2,250 c34.6
Kherson. . ---. AS Om eed Onmee sl/r dos S540 socce 100 36.3 | 58.3 |. 72.5 | 2,274 c34.6
Midseason white:
Siberian d_._.. 741 | Apr. 21} July 21} Aug. 15 114 AST One sere 71.7 | 3,226 36. 6
Swedish Select} 134} Apr. 29} July 17] Aug. 16 110 42.0 | 46.5] 70.4] 2,714 € 37.0
Danish........ 441 |._..do....-|. +. doves Aug. 18 111 39.0 | 46.2] 67.8] 2,513 € 32.3
a Average for six years, 1909 to 1911 and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
b Average for five years, 1909 and 1910 and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
c Average for five years, 1910 and 1911 and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
d Average for three years, 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
e Average for four years, 1910 and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
EARLY VARIETIES.
The Sixty-Day and Kherson varieties are the only early oats that
have been tested at Moccasin during the entire seven years.1 The
Sixty-Day variety was introduced from southwestern Russia into the
United States by the United States Department of Agriculture in
1901. The Kherson was imported from the same general locality a
few years earlier by the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station.
Plats of the Kherson and Sixty-Day oats at the Judith Basin sub-
station are shown in figure 12. The two varieties are practically |
identical. The straw is rather short and fine and the heads loose
and spreading. The grain is yellow in color, small, long, and rather
slender. The hull is thin, and under favorable conditions the weight
per bushel is high. In the Judith Basin these varieties usually reach
maturity in 95 to 105 days and are about 10 days earlier than the -
midseason varieties. At Moccasin the average yield of the Sixty-
Day is slightly larger than that of the Kherson. Two pure-line
1 For a more extended discussion of these varieties, see Warburton, C. W., Sixty-Day and Kherson oats,
U.S. Dept. Agr., Farmers’ Bul. 395, 27 p., 5 fig., 1910.
30 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
selections from the Sixty-Day have slightly exceeded the parent
variety In average yield in the years they have been grown.
There is some objection to these oats by farmers because of the
yellow color and small size of the kernel. As oats are commonly
grown in Montana for feed rather than to sell, the yellow color is
not objectionable. Because of the thin hulls, these varieties have a
larger proportion of kernel to hull than the larger types of oats.
The Sixty-Day is being increased at the Judith Basin substation.
About 2,000 bushels have already been distributed throughout the
dry-land areas of the State, and the results obtained seem to indicate
that for these lands the Sixty-Day variety is the best.
Fig. 12.—End view of plats of Sixty-Day and Kherson oats at the Judith Station substation, 1915.
(From a photograph lent by the Office of Exhibits, U. S. Department of Agriculture.)
MIDSEASON VARIETIES.
Of the varieties of oats that have been tested at Moccasin, 13 can
be classed as midseason in maturity. The Swedish Select is the only
one in this group that has been grown in the entire seven years. This
variety has a 7-year average yield of 46.5 bushels, which is 15.9
bushels lower than the 7-year average yield of the Sixty-Day. Other
typical varieties of this group are the Danish, Lincoln, and Silver-
mine. All these are more suitable for growing under irrigation than
on the dry farms in Montana.
The varieties of the midseason group have tall, coarse straw and
large, rather broad gram. They are from a week to 10 days later
in maturing than varieties of the early group.
LATE VARIETIES.
All the late varieties which have been grown are side oats. The
White Russian, White Tartarian, and other late varieties have not
produced good yields at Moccasin except in 1909. In that year they
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 31
did not yield more than the early and midseason varieties, while in
less favorable years, such as 1908 and 1910, they were considerably
lower in yield. The growing of these late side oats was discontinued
in 1911. None of them can be recommended for growing on the dry
lands in Montana.
EXPERIMENTS WITH BARLEY.
Barley is not as important a crop m Montana as wheat or oats.
The estimated area sown to barley in the State in 1915 was 80,000
Fic. 13.—Heads of representative varieties of barley: 1, White Smyrna, and 2, Hannchen, 2-rowed
hulled varieties; 3, Coast, and 4, Mariout, 6-rowed hulled varieties; and 5, Nepal, and 6, Himalaya,
6-rowed naked varieties.
acres, about 13 per cent of the oat acreage and 6 per cent of the wheat
acreage of that year. The results of the experiments at Moccasin
show that good yields of barley can be obtained on dry land and that
the crop is a profitable one. Barley is grown chiefly for feeding pur-
poses.
The varietal tests at Moccasin have included both the hulled and
the naked, or hull-less, varieties. As with the other spring cereals,
early seeding has given the best results. The hulled varieties are
seeded at the rate of 5 pecks per acre and the naked varieties at the
rate of 4 pecks.
VARIETAL EXPERIMENTS IN FIELD PLATS.
Seven varieties of barley were grown in 1908. Because of the poor
seed bed and drought, low yields were obtained. In 1909 fairly good
32 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
yields were obtamed from all varieties. In 1910 six more varieties
were added to the test. Because of the shortage of summer-fallowed
land it was necessary to grow the varieties on the ground used for
testing barley in 1909. The land was plowed early in the spring and
the seeding was done on April 20. The resulting yields were low.
In 1911 the hot, dry weather in July reduced the yields, and in 1912
all varieties were destroyed by hail. In 1913 good yields were ob-
tained from all varieties. The hot, dry weather during July, 1914,
caused the varieties to ripen early and the quality of the grain was
poor. The yields obtained in 1915 were the highest recorded at the
station.
The barley varieties were grown in unreplicated tenth-acre plats
in 1908, 1909, 1910, and 1913 and in unreplicated twentieth-acre plats
in 1911 and 1912.- In 1914 and 1915 they were grown in fiftieth-acre
plats, replicated five times.
Table X XI gives the annual and average yields of the barley varie-
ties that have been tested at Moccasin from 1908 to 1915. Of the 19
varieties listed in this table, 9 belong to the 2-rowed hulled group,
5 to the 6-rowed hulled group, 2 to the 2-rowed naked group, and 3
to the 6-rowed naked group. Only 3 of the 19 varieties have been
grown in all seven years and only 14 are now being grown. Heads.
of representative varieties of the different groups of barley are shown
in figure 13.
TasLeE XXI—Annual and average yields of 19 varieites of barley grown in plat tests
at the Judith Basin substaiton, Moccasin, Mont., 1908 to 1911 and 1913 to 1915,
inclusive.*
Yield per acre (bushels).2
Average.
Group and variety. a | |
1908 | 1909 | 1910 | 1911 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1910 to |
| | 1911, | 1913 to > te 1911,
1913t0| 1915
\1913 to 1915
| | | | | 1915 |
a, ia eS of a —a ee
Two-rowed hulled: | | | | |
Bohemian. --._.---- Di | ee AB) Dil ee Soe Sue Pee peers a Se oe | es ae
Canadian Thorpe_. 120) (2 eee eee =e 500) |. a0s0) 1) G5: ais ee 50:3:4.- eee
Franconian....-_-.- Gon eae Soe Rae) Ee Pee 31. 2 1 P00 |i22e Sees ees
Hannchen.-_--__.--- 5 (| ae, (ae 14.4 | 45.8 | 54.3 | 46.0] 7&8 47.9 Gl By ee ae
Fingass es. A G78] of ee PER (ESE be Se | 2925 | Tee Hae |. eee
Mansury_---------- 617 | 20.0 | 45.7 | 13.0] 383 | 487/380]708] 41.8] 525 37.8
canals co ek ed ABT 1LE ec aleet Seas eee eee Se 489 43 GR 35 Sty pene ees =
Thorpe.-.---------- 921 | 10.0 | 53.3 | 11.1 | 283 | 526|39.2)667] 396] 528 | 304
White Smyrna ----.| (7s Se feet | 12.3 | 52.0 | 70.0 ; 50.0 | 80. 52.9) 66.61.. Se
Six-rowed hulled: | |
Beds Geese ee LO Rares (eae epee 53.7}4221/73.6| 44.2] 562). eee
(Soastiee tact G90)]-- 22. |. ss3 15.0 | 43.7155.0]43.11831] 480) ~6b4 12) See
Gata SRI pis | Sone eee feo eee 2 eee eee BERR, Bete ye aed Bor5
Manchuria ae es ee 45.2) 9.8| 40.8 | 39.2] 36.0)522). 3561 42.5 [2... 228
Mariout:..-.---.... | i Ree Ba | 16.2 | 47.0 | 47.9 ]'5L3.] 720) 468) 57.1 jie eee
Two-rowed naked: | |
Gide] es 1 aes (oes bee Bea) Bear OA 228 | 203, |e ee
McEvans. ..-------- 621 1.5.532:6.1 003.) 1931 sh eee eel Pee aer Pree
Six-rowed naked: | | | |
Black Hull-less----- 6 |. 10.0 | 43.8 | 13.6 | 2.3 | --.-.| 2 ee eee
Himalaya... ------- 620] 5.5 | 33.2 | 12.3 | 25.0 | 43.0/30.3/ 488] 319] 40.7] 28.2
Napali. eet 595 | 20.0 | 42.4 | 16.4 | 30.0 | 37.0] 25.7] 418] 30.2] 348) 30.5
i
1 Crop destroyed by hail in 1912.
2 Hulled varieties in bushels of 48 pounds; naked varieties in bushels of 60 pounds.
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. ae
LEADING VARIETIES.
Table X XII shows that the White Smyrna (C. I. No. 195), with a
5-year (1910 to 1911 and 1913 to 1915) average yield of 52.9 bushels,
is the leading variety. The White Smyrna is a 2-rowed hulled
variety that was obtained from Asia Minor. The head is of medium
length and the kernels are large. The straw is rather short, espe-
cially in a dry season, and the heads are often imperfectly exserted.
The White Smyrna is being increased at Moccasin for distribution
among the farmers. About 1,200 bushels have been sold. The re-
sults obtained in other parts of the State agree with those at Moccasin,
indicating that the White Smyrna is well adapted to the dry lands of
Montana.
The Hannchen is a 2-rowed variety, with a narrow, nodding
head, that has given good results at Moccasin. It is a selection from
Hanna made by the Swedish Plant Breeding Association, of Svalof,
Sweden. This variety grows a little taller than the White Smyrna
and is laterin maturmg. ‘The 5-year average yield of the Hannchen
is about 5 bushels less than that of the White Smyrna.
The leading varieties among the 6-rowed hulled group are the
Coast and the Mariout.
The Coast variety is known also as California Feed and Bay Brew-
ing barley. It grows taller than the Mariout. The head is not as
compact and the beard is not always entirely removed in thrashing.
In average yield it has equaled the Hannchen, but the White Smyrna
has exceeded it by about 5 bushels.
The Mariout variety has a compact spike and a rather coarse grain.
As in the Coast barley, the beard sometimes is not entirely removed
in thrashing. It matures about the same time as the White Smyrna.
The average yield of the Mariout is slightly lower than that of the
Coast variety.
The leading naked varieties of barley at Moccasin are the Nepal
and Himalaya. The 5-year average yield of the Himalaya, as
shown in Table X XI, is slightly greater than that of the Nepal. In
the 7-year averages, however (Table X XI), the Nepal exceeds the
Himalaya by 2.3 bushels. The Nepal is a 6-rowed, naked, hooded
variety, sometimes called the White Hull-less. The kernels are of
medium size and amber in éolor. The Himalaya is a 6-rowed,
naked, bearded barley, with bluish kernels. Because of the absence
of beards the Nepal is commonly grown in preference to the Himalaya.
The heads of the Nepal have a tendency to break off when ripe, and
the variety also lodges to some extent in wet years. The broad
leaves, coarse straw, and absence of beards make this variety a popu-
lar one for hay production.
The average yield of the Nepal variety at Moccasin in the five years
is 30.2 bushels, 20 bushels less than that of the White Smyrna during
”
34. * BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
the same period. The weight per bushel of the naked varieties is 60
pounds, while that of the hulled varieties is 48 pounds, so that the
-actual difference in yield is less than would appear from these figures.
The yield of the Nepal in pounds is about three-fourths that of the
White Smyrna variety.
The average dates of sowing, heading, and ripening, and the
average height, yield, and weight per bushel of these six varieties for
five years (1910, 1911, and 1913 to 1915) are given in Table XXII.
These average ee are shown a in figure 14.
WHITE SMYRNA Fe 2570285.
HANNCHE/ - - ST 2OOLES.
COAST-~--- Ree ee ee ne eS S0S LES.
(AP | OU 7 - - - Te TT EE 2,29 S 23S.
111} 1 - - Se ee TT .9/F LBS.
NEPAL-——-- ae MS 40/2 LBS.
Fic. 14.—Diagram showing the average yields of the leading varieties of barley at the Judith Basin_,
substation for five years, 1910, 1911, and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
TaBLE XXII.—Average dates of seeding, heading, and ripening, days from seeding to ma-
turity, height, yield of straw and of grain, and weight per bushel of six leading varieties of
barley at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., during five years, 1910, 1911,
and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
tat Average yield per
Le Average date— eer Sa). Weight
Group and variety. N ‘, ae A Height. RES per
: a3 bushel.
Sown. | Headed.| Ripe. turity. Grain. Grain, Straw
Two-rowed hulled: Days. | Inches.| Bush.|- Lbs. | Lbs. | Lbs.
White eae 195 aos 18} July 6] Aug. 4 108 29 52.9 | 2,540 | 1,996 48.2
Hannchen. HSI yeeedos See|| Inily dite] eA 6 110) 432 47.9 | 2,299 |} 2,456 48.4
Six-rowed hulled:
Coast eee | 690 |...do....| July 6] Aug. 5 109 32 48.0 | 2,304 | 1,995 46.0
Mariout.=25 +42. AGU es cclOse soll diwhy Sy les -Gls 5 oe 109 31 46.8 | 2,246 | 1,524 46.2
Six-rowed naked:
Himalaya...... 6200 2220s 52 5|evulbyenn On|ss0 Ob ays 109 31 31.9 | 1,914 | 1,904 61.0
INGpaleeerete-e lPr5Obs|seedlone a4 letullyas Sh |Sendome 109} 32.6] 30.2] 1,812 | 1,850 61.0
EXPERIMENTS WITH FLAX.
Experiments with flax were not started until 1911. Flax is not
grown to any great extent in the Judith Basin. The crop is important
in the eastern part of the State, although there is not as much flax
raised now as there was several years ago. It is usually grown in
newly settled districts, as it is considered a good crop to grow on sod
land.
The experiments at Moccasin have included tests of both seed and
fiber flax. Quite a number of fiber varieties were tested in 1911, but
as they were of little value for seed production they were discarded.
VARIETAL EXPERIMENTS IN FIELD PLATS.
Nineteen varieties of flax have been grown in the varietal test.
Of these, 12 belong to the European seed, 2 to the Smyrna seed, 4 to
the European short fiber, and 2 to the European textile fiber group.
ba x
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. ~35
In 1911, 14 varieties were grown in twentieth-acre plats. .The land
used had been cropped to barley in 1909 and 1910. It was spring
plowed in 1911 and the seed bed was in good tilth when the varieties
were seeded on May 15. The dry weather in July caused the flax to
begin to ripen early and the heavy rains in August started a second
growth. This made the flax late in maturing and reduced the
yields. !
In 1912, 17 varieties were grown. These were seeded on May 14
in twentieth-acre plats on land that had been cropped to winter
wheat the year before. Flax was the only spring grain that pro-
duced any seed in 1912, the others being destroyed by hail. The
Fic. 15.—Varietal test plats of flax at the Judith Basin substation, 1915. (From a phatograph lent by
the Office of Exhibits, U. S. Department of Agriculture.)
hail came when the flax was in full bloom. While it undoubtedly
reduced the yields, the plants made a second growth and produced
a fairly good crop. In 1913 the flax was grown in tenth-acre plats
on fallow ground. The yields that year were quite satisfactory.
In 1914 and 1915 the flax varieties were grown on fallow ground in
replicated fiftieth-acre plats. A view of the varietal test plats in
1915 is shown in figure 15.
The yields in 1914 were reduced bya disease known as canker.
This disease attacks the young plant just above the cotyledons and
apparently stops its growth until it puts out basal branches below
the injured part. The growth is then normal, but the time required
to produce these branches makes the plants late in maturmg. The
seed is produced on these branches, which take the place of the
central stem.
36 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
The annual and average yields in bushels per acre of the varieties
of flax that have been grown in field plats at Moccasin in the five
years, 1911 to 1915, are given in Table XXIII.
TaBLe XXIIJ.—Annual and average yields of 19 varieties of flax grown tn plats at the
Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., in periods of varying length, 1911 to 1915,
inclusive.
Yield per acre (bushels).
Group and variety. c - | Average.
1911 | 1912 1913 | 1914 | 1915 |
| 1911 to | 1914 to
1915 | 1915
European seed: E
Russian (N. Dak. No. 155). _-...-.-.-.-----2. 19 | 19.3 | 13.3! 166]13.0| 228] 17.0] 17.9
Finsstan (IN. Dak Nov 955) 20 ee 17 | 146) 11.7) 15.6/125/;189| 147 15.6
Select Russian (N. Dak. No. 608)_._.._..-.-- 1117.1 | 10.0 | 14.0 | 12.0} 19.3 14.5 15.8
Select Russian (N. Dak. No. 609)___.___-..-- Ay eee [ae 12-6: [ASG 16.3
Select Russian (N. Dak. No. 1215)__.___...-- 3} 15.7 | 13.0} 180,12.8/)19.5} 15.8 16.2
Montana Commom 2. 52222225. 2-2 <2e sn 6 | 15.4; 10.0} 9.0} 13.2 20.0 13.5} 16.6
Select Riga (N. Dak. No. 1214)....._._.--.--- 2/183; 9.0] 19.6] 13.0} 19.1 15. 8 | 16.1
Stepan. (N_ Dak. No. 1340)... - -.....-.-2=-:- 5 | 15.0 | 11:3 | 16.8 | 12.1 | 19.9 15.0 | 16.0
North Dakota Resistant No. 52.....-....-.-: 8} 16.0] 6.3)140/11.8)19.5] 13.7} 157
North Dakota No12t.0 16 | 15.7|127|164/13.2}199| 156| 165
Fargo Common (N. Dak. No. 1133)..-........ 18 | 14.6 | 10.1 | 19.2113.2/,19.5; 15.4 16.4
Smyrna seed:
ar ES pert oak ei aie ove Pe 30 |_.-..- eee ee i493) 19a] 2 3 17.0
Workwleto. 2 esa a en ee | GS) -425 62207 S014 9.5 12.0
European short fiber:_
Kazan (N_ Dak. No.1329).....<-<.----------- 4} 9.2]100|17.5/13.2/189| 137| 160
idaho Commo. 22 22 oe a 1 5 eee! eee ey hee 13.0 }- 19.4 }....---- 16.2
North Dakota Resistant No. 114.__.......... 1 ey) Pees eee cS | firth. a eee 14.6
Primost Gf Nos25) 2 12 | 11.0 | 10.3 | 17.5 | 128} 19.1 14.1 16.0
European textile fiber: |
iblne Blossom... 22 ts Eee 2) 9.6) &3 | 15-3 |) 421 Pie5 10.5 14.6
IPSKOi oe 522 es eee eae ee ee 32 }2=5-5- pee pase 1020 F £0: 2s. 2-3 9.0
' i B
LEADING VARIETIES.
Table XXIII shows that in both the 5-year and 2-year averages
the varieties of the European seed-flax group yield more than
those of the other groups. The five highest yielding strains for the
5-year period, C. I. Nos. 19, 3, 2, 16, and 18, all belong to the seed-
flax group. The Russian, C. I. No. 19 (N. Dak. No. 155), is the
highest yielder and the Select Russian, C. I. No. 3 (N. Dak. No.
1213), a selection from North Dakota No. 155, is second. C. I. Nos.
17 and 19 are both Russian (N. Dak. No. 155), but were received at
Moccasin through different sources. C. I. No. 19 has given better
results than C. I. No. 17.. North Dakota No. 155 is a bulk lot of
seed of Russian flax obtained by the North Dakota Agricultural
Experiment Station in 1898. It has been grown and distributed since
that time. C. I. Nos. 1, 3, and 45 are selections from this variety
developed in the nursery at the North Dakota station.
C. I. Nos. 2 and 16 were both developed through selection from
common flax varieties at the North Dakota station, while C. I. No. 18
was a bulk lot of seed obtained by that station in 1901 from a seed
house at Fargo, N. Dak. All of these strains are of the Russian seed
type of flax, and with the exception of some variations In coarseness
of stem and earliness are much alike.
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. one
North Dakota Resistant No. 52, a wilt-resistant flax of the seed
type, has not yielded as well as the Russian.
The Smyrna flax (C. I. No. 30), which ranks second in average
yield for the two years it has been grown, was imported from Smyrna,
Turkey, by the United States Department of Agriculture, in 1913.
This variety has shorter straw and more numerous basal branches
than the European seed flaxes. From results obtained elsewhere it
seems to be better able to withstand unfavorable hot, dry weather
than other varieties in the test.
North Dakota Resistant No. 114 and Primost (Minn. No. 25), both
of which belong to the short-fiber group, did not produce yields which
compare favorably with those of the European seed flaxes. These
varieties would probably give better results in regions where flax
canker is more serious than at Moccasin.
The textile fiber type of flax is of no value for seed production in
Montana.
RUSSIAN =~ --------- - 7 OS.
SELECT PUSSIAIV- ---— ee 5S SU
SELECT PIGA------ — Bere
NV. DAKOTA, V2/22/-- - Tm #5. 6 6.
FARPCO COMMON ---- ama 5.7 Sv
Fic. 16.—Diagram showing the average yields (in bushels per acre) of
the leading varieties of flax at the Judith Basin substation for the five
years, 1911 to 1915, inclusive.
Table XXIV gives the average dates of seeding, heading, and
ripening, the yields of straw and grain, and the weight per bushel of
the five leading varieties of flax in the five years 1911 to 1915, inclusive.
The average yields of these varieties are shown graphically in
figure 16.
TaBLeE XXIV.—Average dates of seeding, heading, and ripening, days from seeding to
maturity, yield of grain and straw, and weight per bushel of five leading flax varieties
at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., in the five years, 1911 to 1915,
inclusive.
Average yield
Average date— | Saas
C.1 pcm | Seeding per acre. | Weight
Group and variety. NGS | to ma- | Height. per
se | turity. bushel.!
Seeded. Headed. | Ripe. Grain. | Straw.
European seed flax:
Russian (N. Dak. | Days. | Inches. |Bushels.|Pounds.| Pounds.
IN@32059) Beata Se Sa 19 | May 8 | July 19 | Aug. 28 112 23.0 17.0 | 1,654 56.
Select Russian (N.
DakssNorl215)--s- Supsee dor = |e duly 920-)=-d0=-22- 112 23.0 15.8 1,610 56. 0
Select Riga (N. Dak.
No. 1214) Sonate 2A se Ose ls= Osea Faas (EEOSE 112 22.8 15.8 1, 456 50. 7
ore Dakota No.
eR aa Li (eG Coes OG (eee eta oa 112 22.6 15.6 | 1,440 55.7
Fae Common (N.
Dak =No- 1133): s2s2 1Sos-G0- 5a ed Ole peed Osea 112 22.0 15.4 1,386 50. 7
1 Average for four years, 1912 to 1915, inclusive.
88 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
VARIETAL EXPERIMENTS IN NURSERY ROWS.
Nursery work with flax was not started until 1914, when 50 va-
rieties and strains were tested. These varieties were grown in fiftieth-
acre and hundredth-acre plats and in 8-rod rows. Most of them
were recent importations from Europe which were grown in this
country for the first time in 1914.
In 1915 the flax nursery was increased. In addition to the tests
in fiftieth-acre plats and 8-rod rows, 204 selections were grown in
head rows. Some of the head rows were selections from the most
promising varieties and some were selections from a natural hybrid.
A view of the flax nursery in 1915 is shown in figure 17.
Several promising varieties which are now heme grown in the
nursery will soon be added to the varietal test.
Fic.17.—The flax nursery at the Judith Basin substation, 1915. (Froma photograph lent by the Office
of Exhibits, U. S. Department of Agriculture.)
DATE-OF-SEEDING EXPERIMENT.
There appears to be some question as to the proper date on which
to sow flax. The impression seems to exist in some sections that
flax should be sown later than the spring grains. The date-of-seed-
ing test at Moccasin has not been conducted long enough to justify
drawing definite conclusions from it. The results seem to indicate,
however, that early seeding is the best. In 1915 the highest yield
was obtained from the plat seeded on April 9. While there was
some freezing weather after this date it apparently did no harm to
the flax. The tests at Moccasin show that flax should be sown not
later than May 1, as seedings made after that date will not produce
as good yields.
RATE-OF-SEEDING EXPERIMENT.
A rate-of-seeding test with flax is being conducted at Moccasin,
but, like the date- of-seeding test, it has not been continued lone
enema to justify any ‘lesmartie Denelne fone During the last three
years the varietal plats have been seeded at the rate of 18 pounds
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 39
per acre. Very satisfactory stands and yields have been obtained
from this rate, although the rate-of-seeding experiment seems to in-
dicate that a little heavier seeding would give better results.
COMPARISON OF THE LEADING VARIETIES OF CEREALS.
Table XXV gives the annual and average yields (Gn pounds per
acre) of the leading varieties of each of the cereals at Moccasin for
five years, 1910, 1911, and 1913 to 1915, mmclusive. This table is
presented so that a comparison may be made of the actual yield of
grain of each of the cereals. It will be seen from Table XXV that
on the average the White Smyrna barley produces more pounds of
erain per acre than any of the other cereals. The Kharkof winter
wheat is second and the Sixty-Day oats third in the number of
pounds of grain produced per acre.
The average farm value per acre of each of the crops is also given
in Table XXV. To obtaim this value the annual yield of each crop
was multiplied by the farm price per bushel in Montana on December
1 of that year, and the annual values for the five years were then
averaged. Winter wheat leads in value per acre, with the White
Smyrna barley second and flax third.
TaBLE XXV.—Annual and average yields and average farm value of the leading variety
of each of the cereals grown at the Judith Basin substation, Moccasin, Mont., for five
years 1910, 1911, and 1913 to 1915, inclusive.
Yield per acre (pounds).
CI Acre
Crop and variety. Nou | value of
1910 | 1911 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | “Ver | crop
age.
Kharkofiwinterwheats t=. 1,583 | 2,880 | 2,478 | 1,866 | 1,470 | 2,964] 2,331 | $31.08
Pelissier spring wheat...................... 1,584 | ’630 | 1,698 | 1,920 | 1,590 | 2,530] 1,673 | 21.58
SixtyeDayoatene we. eee Se ee 165 | 1,056 | 2,278 | 2,409 | 1,888 | 2,998 | 2,126] 23.70
White Smyrna barley...................... 195 | ’590 | 2,490 | 3,360 | 2,400 | 3,854] 23540] 28.42
iNepalibarleyee et ee 595 | 984 | 1,800 | 2,290 | 1,542 | 2)508| 1,810] 18.24
RUSSIAS eee ee Op eee. 1,070 7930) °728| 1,282] 1002 | «27.09
a Average for four years, 1911 and 1913 to 1915.
EXPERIMENTS WITH MINOR CEREALS.
Twenty-seven varieties of proso have been tested at Moccasin at
some time durimg the past eight years. While most of the varieties
tried will mature seed in a favorable year, the yield is small and in
some years no seed is produced. For this reason the crop is not.
recommended for the Judith Basin.
Some early varieties of brown kaoliang and broom corn were
tried for three years. Owing to the short season and cool nights
none of them matured seed.
Emmer and spelt have also been tried, but are not as promising
as some of the other grain crops. :
40 BULLETIN 398, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
SUMMARY.
Cooperative experiments with cereals at the Judith Basin sub-
station, Moccasm, Mont., have been conducted durmg eight years,
1908 to 1915, inclusive.
The Judith Basin substation is located in the west-central part
of Fergus County, in central Montana. The altitude is 4,300 feet.
The yields obtamed at Moccasm are not representative of all
the dry-land area, but the comparative results obtaimed are believed
to be applicable m general to all the dry-farming area of Moniana.
The annual average precipitation at Moccasin for 18 years, 1898 to
1915, melusive, is 16.66 tmches. The average seasonal rainfall
(April to July, inclusive) for the same years is 9.41 inches.
The soil at Moccasin on which the cereal varieties have been
tested is a dark clay loam of limestone origm.
On the average, satisfactory yields are obtamed from winter and
spring wheat, spring oats, barley, and flax.
The best winter wheats are the Kharkof and Turkey. These be-
long to the Crimean group of hard winter wheats.
The best rate to sow winter wheat is 3 pecks per acre. The best
date to sow is from August 10 to September 10.
The highest yields of spring wheats have been obtained from varie-
ties of durum wheat. Of these, the Pelissier has been the best. Of
the common spring wheats the best variety to grow appears to be the
Marquis.
Spring wheats are seeded at the rate of 4 pecks per acre.
The best results are obtamed from sowing all spring wheat, oats,
and barley as early in the spring as soil and climatic conditions will
permit. |
The highest average yield of oats was obtamed from the Sixty-Day
variety. This variety averaged about 16 bushels per acre more than
later maturing varieties.
The best rate of seeding for the small-kerneled early varieties of
oats, such as the Sixty-Day, is about 4 pecks per acre.
The White Smyrna barley, a 2-rowed bearded hulled variety,
has given the highest average yield.
The hulled varieties of barley are seeded at the rate of 5 pecks and
the naked varieties at the rate of 4 pecks per acre.
The highest yield of flax ma 5-year test was obtained from the
Russian variety.
It is probable that the best results will be obtained if flax is sown
early, between April 15 and May 1. The best rate seems to be from
20 to 25 pounds per acre.
In pounds per acre, the average yield of the White Smyrna barley
is greater than that of the best variety of any of the other cereal
CEREAL EXPERIMENTS AT JUDITH BASIN SUBSTATION. 41
crops. The Kharkof winter wheat is second in yield, followed by
the Sixty-Day oats, the Nepal naked barley, the Pelissier spring
wheat, and the Russian flax.
In the value per acre based on the farm price on December 1 of
each year, the Kharkof winter wheat leads, followed by the White
Smyrna barley, the Russian flax, the Sixty-Day oats, the Pelissier
durum spring wheat, and the Nepal naked barley.
Emmer and spelt do not give as good yields as barley and oats.
Proso millet has been tried, but is not a promising crop.
Early varieties of brown kaohang and broom corn have been tested,
but do not mature seed.
PUBLICATIONS OF U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TREATING OF
CEREAL PRODUCTION IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS.
AVAILABLE FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION BY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
Cereal Experiments at Dickinson, N. Dak. Department Bulletin 33.
Spring Wheat in the Great Plains Area: Relation of Cultural Methods to Production.
Department Bulletin 214.
Oats in the Great Plains Area: Relation of Cultural Methods to Production. Depart-
ment Bulletin 218.
Barley in the Great Plains Area: Relation of Cultural Methods to Production. De-
partment Bulletin 222.
Crop Production in the Great Plains Area: Relation of Cultural Methods to Yields.
Department Bulletin 268.
Cereal Experiments at the Williston Substation. Department Bulletin 270.
Cereal Investigations on the Belle Fourche Experiment Farm. Department Bulle-
tin 297.
Alaska and Stoner, or ‘‘Miracle,’’ Wheats: Two Varieties Much Misrepresented. De-
partment Bulletin 357.
Oats: Distribution and Uses. Farmers’ Bulletin 420.
Oats: Growing the Crop. Farmers’ Bulletin 424.
Barley: Growing the Crop. Farmers’ Bulletin 443.
The Smuts of Wheat, Oats, Barley, and Corn. Farmers’ Bulletin 507.
Durum Wheat. Farmers’ Bulletin 534.
Growing Hard Spring Wheat. Farmers’ Bulletin 678.
Varieties of Hard Spring Wheat. Farmers’ Bulletin 680.
Marquis Wheat. Farmers’ Bulletin 732.
Grains for the Montana Dry Lands. Farmers’ Bulletin 749.
Winter Wheat in Western South Dakota. Bureau of Plant Industry Circular 79.
Hard Wheats Winning Their Way. Separate 649, Yearbook, 1914.
FOR SALE BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, GOVERNMENT PRINTING
OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. C.
Experiments with Wheat, Oats, and Barley in South Dakota. Department Bulletin
39. Price, 10 cents.
The Commercial Status of Durum Wheat. Bureau of Plant Industry Bulletin 70.
Price, 10 cents.
Improving the Quality of Wheat. Bureau of Plant Industry Bulletin 78. Price, 10
cents.
The Loose Smuts of Barley and Wheat. Bureau of Plant Industry Bulletin 152.
Price, 15 cents.
Dry-Land Grains for Western North and South Dakota. Bureau of Plant Industry
Circular 59. Price, 5 cents.
42
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