le
ntOOK COUNTY JOURNAL
r'KIHU'AKV fl, 1810
ALFALFA MKAXS MONEY
IN THE BANK FOK tiKOWKK
Continued from page 1
growing season. Sowings made In
soring, earlv summer, late summer
and even early (all hare been success
ful under Deschutes Valley condit
ions, but taking all factors Into con-
siderattou, spring sowing has proved
the best. Investigations In the Des
chutes Valley show that the majority
of successful stands have been sown
In May and June. Perhaps from May
15 to June 16 would be the most de
sirable time to sow, though of course,
due allowance must be made for
weather conditions. A few good
stands have been obtained where the
seed was sown late In August, but
these for the present must be regard
ed as exceptions to the general rule.
No set rule ss to the amount of seed
to sow per sere can be given. This
depends largely on the quality ot the
seed and Its germination per cent
Obviously much less seed germinal'
lng 97 per cent need be sown to se
cure s good stand than of seed test
lng as low as 80 per cent.
A survey of a number ot Deschutes
Valley alfalfa growers show smounts
ranging from 8 pounds per acre to 20
pounds per acre. The latter quantity
however, Is a rare exception and need
not be considered. When good seed
is used, from 8 pounds to II pounds
is sufficient, and ten pounds is good
average to use. One very excellent
stand in the valley was secured from
seven pound seeding. The general
error is to seed too heavy rather than
to lightly. Good tested seed should
be used, however, so that one may
know exactly what he is sowing.
Ten pounds of seed germinating 60
per cent will not be sufficient
Whether or not to use a nurse crop
Is a popular question among Central
Oregon farmers. Actual experiments
over a wide territory show that equal
ly good stands have been obtained
with and without a nurse crop. The
chief advantage of a nurse crop is
that some hay is obtained the first
year, while if alfalfa is seeded alone,
no crop is obtained until the second
year. Under irrigation a nurse crop
of oats, barley or wheat may be used
to good advantage. Oats is more
commonly used for this purpose In
Central Oregon than other small
grains, chiefly because It stands more
water. Fifty pounds of oats or barley
is sufficient. Wheat is inclined to
shade the young alfalfa less than the
other grains.
If the nurse crop gets too thick
and appears to shade the alfalfa too
much, it can be cut for hay. If con
ditions are all favorable, the nurse
erop can be allowed to mature grain.
A nurse crop helps to keep down the
weeds if the soil is foul, especially
when sowed rather early In th
spring. The better developed mw
sown alfalfa becomes before the hot.
dry weather of summer, the more
chance it has of withstanding the win
ter successfully. In light soil which
is apt to blow, a nurse crop is advis
able with alfalfa in order to protect
the young plants from tho drifting
sand. In clean, rich soils, free from
weeds and with no tendency to blow,
a good stand can be secured by sow
ing without a nurse crop. Where
there is likely to be a shortage of
sufficient water, the alfalfa sown
alone will have a better chance of
making a good stand than if a nurse
crop is used, as there is usually no
more moisture than Is needed by the
alfalfa.
Alfalfa may be planted with the
drill or it may be broadcasted. The
ordinary grain drill with the grass
seeder atachment is all right, if care
is taken that the seed if not planted
too deep. The most popular method
in Central Oregon is to broadcast and
then to harrow in, or to broadcast
ahead of the grain drill. There Is
less danger of getting the seed too
aeep when this method is followed.
The little hand sowers also give good
satisfaction. Several good stands in
the Deschutes Valley have been se
cured by broadcasting in May into-a
stand of young fall wheat and then
harowing in, and applying the Irri
gation water. Late in August, or
even In early September, alfalfa has
been successfully sown into the stub
ble where fall grain has been re
moved. The seed is harrowed Into
the stubble and then irrigated. As
in nearly all farm practices, there is
no "best" way, equally good results
are obtained by following various
methods.
After seeding, if the soil is In good
condition as regards tilth and mois
ture, the alfalfa field will require no
more care until it is time to in, gate.
At this time the alfalfa plants should
be three or four inches high, or until
the crop beginB to shade the soil, it
is better to postpone the' first irriga
tion as long as possible and then ir
rigate heavily. At this stage of
growth this usually proves more sat
isfactory than several light irriga
tions, ine later irrigation does not
check the growth of the crop as the
earlier irrigation often does, since
the weather is warmer and tht water
is warmer.
After the crop becomes established,
the number of irrigations will depend
on the depth and nature of the soil,
method of applying water, amount of
rain, wind and similar factors. On
the lighter soils of the valley a great
er number of irrigations will be neces
sary than where the soil is heavier.
Irrigation is commonly applied twice
each cutting, though several of our
best alfalfa growers give six irriga
tions per season. Two moderate ir
rigations usually result in a little
better yield than is secured from a
single, heavy irrigation. The gen
eral appearance, and more particular
ly the color of the plant, are the best
guides, perhaps, as to when water Is
neded. A good rule Is to wait until
the crop is In real need and then ir
rigate thoroughly. When healthv
and vigorous, alfalfa is of a light
green color, but when the supply 0f
moisture is insufficient, the leaves
take on a darker and duller shade
and begin to droop.
It is necessary to have the fields
dry enough to permit the use of ma
chinery for cutting the crop, and con
sequently they can not be irrigated
just before cutting. Usually it is
considered the best practice to irri
gate as late as possible before cutting
and Irrigate again after the crop is
removed, if more water is required.
Light soils, if not irrigated before
cutting, may not retain enough mois
ture to start the new crop and main
tain its growth until the old crop
removed. It Is also true that cuttin
and watering check the plant growt
and If not watered before cuttin
valuable growing time Is lost.
Alfalfa requires relatively more
water than most crops on account of
its continued heavy growth. Under
good average conditions, the water
requirement of alfalfa will run from
24 to 30 inches of Irrigation watc
per season. Under conditions ot poor
soil, poor fertility snd careless prac
tice. It may run much higher. U Is
believed that winter-killing may re
sult from very cold, open, dry win
ters. MoiBture In the soil Is supposed
to prevent winter-killing, and a late
irrigation, after the plants stop grow
lng. may accomplish this purpose.
To adequately treat of the sclm
title feeding value ot alfalfa would
require a book in itself, and no at
tempt to discuss the subject will be
made here. It is possible that
some future time this phase of the
utilisation ot alfalfa will be covered
in a booklet by itself. In passing. It
may be said that alfalfa is oik of the
most highly nutritious snd palatable
of feeds tor all classes of farm ani
mals. It is especially desirable for
dairy cows producing heavy flows of
milk, on account of its high protein
content. It is perhsps the Dest rough
age tor fattening beet cattle as It
lack ot bulkinesa enables the animals
to consume sufficient quantities for
rapid gains. It Is the ideal hay for
sheep, especially when cut Just ss
it commences to bloom, but is apt to
cause bloat if used as pasturage. It
may be fed to hogs in the green state,
as a soiling crop, as alfalfa meal.-or
as pasturage, snd Is especially desir
able for breeding hogs, while alfalfa
and grain ted pork can not be ex
celled. It is s good hay for horses
and reports as to ttsinjurious effect
on the kidneys do not appear well
substantiated by experimental data
Alfalfa makes an excellent feed for
all kinds of poultry, especially when
fed as a meal in a mash during the
winter months. It is reported that
the heaviest yields of honey per stand
of bees In the West are secured In
sections showing the greatest acreage
of alfalfa.
w. a. s.
FREEING IDAHO OF
GROUND SQUIKREL8
Idaho farmers saved over $1,250.
000 in crops during 1918. Twenty
two counties and 4,025 farmers co
operated with the Biological ourvey
of the United States Department of
grtcuiture In stamping out the squir
rel pest, and as a result 277,751 acres
were cleared of the rodents.
It is estimated that this ground
squirrel eradication work In Idaho
saved at least 5 per cent ot the total
crops of that state which formerly
went to pay the yearly rodent trib
ute. As one farmer phrases it. "1
used to consider that the squirrels
had a mortgage on 25 per cent of mv
crops as they devoured one-fourth of
all I produced. Now after I have
cleared my farm of squirrels. I har
vest snd save 100 per cent of all the
crops I grow.
in Bonneville County, Idaho, 114
farmers distributed 6.223 pounds o
poisoned oats over 11,871 acres, and
as a direct and immediate result sav
ed $41,265 worth of farm crops which
otherwise would have been consumed
by the squirrels. In the eradication
campaign, one farmer in this county
distributed poison bait over one of
nis fields and less than one hour lat
er when he returned to the field he
counted 278 dead ground souirrels
6 rabbits, and 10 rock chucks which
had fallen prey to the deadlv bait
Idaho farmers formerly used strv
chnine sulphate prepared in a variety
ui ways 10 poison ground squirrels
out. Decause this material proved un
satisfactory, the use of powdered stry-
cnnine taiKaiold) is now practiced
in tne organized campaigns. This
poison acts very rapidly through the
mouth and cheek pouches instead of
tnrough the stomach. It is prepared
oy mixing 1 tablespoonful of gloss
siaren in Vi teacup of cold water and
then stirring this combination into V,
pint or Dolling water to make a thin
clear paste. Then 1 ounce of powd
ered stryennme (alkaloid) Is mixed
wun l ounce of bakine soda In a lit
tlewater and stirred with the. starch
into a smooth, creamy mass, free of
lumps, then v4 pint of heavy corn
syrup, l tablespoonful of glvcerine
and one scant teaspoonful of sacch
arin dissolved in a little warm water
are stirred together. This solution
is spread over 12 quarts of oats and
uiia.:u inuruuKiuy in order tn init
eden Kernel. Une quart of this poison
Bumcient lor 4U to 60 baits. The
material scattered one teaspoonful
iu a ijiace snouid be distributed
along the clean, hard surfaces near
the squirrel holes where it will not
endanger live stock and where there
Is no chance for the rodents to waste
the material by tramping over It or
by covering It with refuse from their
holes, as would occur wer tho ht.it
io oe piaced directly In their hnrmw
The saccharin and corn sirup are
used to make the bait nalatahio ,hii
the baking soda retards solution of
me sirycnnme and thus aids the sac-
tuarin in nioing its bitter taste. The
starch cements the poison evenly ov
er the oat or barley grains and the
glycerine prevents the poison from
drying and dusting off thp trrnin
Oats or barley are used because the
ground squirrels for whom the bait
is Intended are particularly fond of
these grains. This bait is much bet
ter man me strychnine sulphate pois
on formerly used, because it is more
effective and can be stored in quan
tity for comparatively long periods
witiiuut ueienorauon.
ruison ground squirrels as early
u mo opiiug ub possiDie say tne Fed
eral specialists, as in this way the
natural increase of young squirrels
Is eliminated. The poisoning cam
paign should be continued throughout
the year until the section is free of
the pests. The rodents will eat the
Poison baits at any time. Attention
should be given to destroying the
squirrels in all their haunts in pas
tures, uncultivated fields, fence rows,
vnf J.ad8 a" weil as from tne culti
vated fields where complete extermi
nation of the pests Is sought.
HURLS SEEDS LONG DISTANCE
Witch-Hani Has Record sf Forty Feat
er More, ss Shown by an
Experiment
The curious manner In which the
witch hnsel spreads Its seeds has been
described by lr. Kdwsrd S. Hlgelow
In his department "On Nature's Trail."
in Boys Life. He says:
"No other plant can shoot Its seeds
so far snd so violently ss this one
hurls Its seeds. I do not know just
how far It can shoot but In experi
ments actually made s distance of 80
feet has been reached. The experi
ment was made In this manner: The
fruiting branches were suspended st
the end of a-room 30 feet long. At
the extreme farther end of the room
msny seeds were found. Some had
been shot through so open door, but
just how far I do not know. Various
other experiments suggest that the
seeds may be thrown to a distance of
40 feet or more. The books say that
the seed capsule bursts snd discharges
Its contents with grest vigor. It cer
tainly does. Experiments with the
banting pods snd the flying seeds may
be dangerous. I never happened to
be hit by the flying missiles, but I
should not like to have one strike my
eye, especially If the eye' were near
the capsule. The discharge Is scconv
psnled by a snap stuioat like that of
a small pistol. If scouts repeat this
experiment let them 'not forget this
warning."
NO REASON FOR MONOPOLY
If Whales Are to Bo Used for Dairy
Purposes, Let Whole Country
In on It
An official of the state aRrlculturnl
department of Oregm recommends the
cultivation of the whale for milking
purposes, says an article In Thrift
Magazine. Enough whales could be
raised right In Iuget sound, he say,
to supply the United States with all
the milk she needs. The female whale
Is a generous creature and gives s bar
rel of the lacteal fluid at one milking.
This is s timely siiKgestlon, but why
keep all the whales In Puget sound?
Would not such a plan he selfish, sor
did and monopolistic? If we are going
to he truly democratic In this country,
let's be so In the matter of whales.
Let every farmer keep his own whnle.
What would be more Inspiring than to
see the happy husbandman arise while
the King of iHiy was mill lurking hush
fully behind the eastern horizon, grab
the family milch barrel anil hurry out
behind the ham to give old Flossie, the
family whnle. her morning nillkln'? In
tliAKprlng when the little whalclcts he
gin to show up, think of the gross an
nual output of poetry that would be
Inspired In the breasts of our literati.
It would be a rank and Infamous In
justice to let Puget sound have a mo
nopoly of the national supply of dairy
whales.
That Black Cat Stuff.
'Superstition Is certainly a funny
thing," observed the almost philoso
pher. "Take, for Instance, the feller
who Is scared to see a bluck cat run
across his path.
'He'll argue that there Is nothln'
supernatural about him and a bluck
cat happening to he near the suine
place at the same time. An' when It
conies right down to tncks there Is
really nothln' supernatural about a
bluck cat any way you Agger It, he'll
say Just an excess of black pigment
In the coloring matter of the cat's
hair, and, besides that, maybe one out
of six or eight cats Is black.
He reasons, too, that a black cat's
duty probably calls It across the street
about the time he happens along.
About the time he gets It all figgered
out a coal-colored feline darts out of
the alley Just uhead of him and makes
bee line for the other side of the
street and that feller Jest about loops
the loop trying to heud that cat off."
Indianapolis Star.
Birds Destroy Caterpillars.
When the buds open In spring,
broods of tiny, hungry caterpillars
emerge, only to be preyed upon by the
constantly Increasing flights of birds
that peer, swing, flutter, or hop from
twig to twig through ull the woods.
At this time these ruterpillurs are not
at all noticeable, and are very difficult
to find; still, the great majority of
them are readily found and eaten by
birds, and therefore never become ap
parent to ordinary observation. As
summer comes and the caterpillars
grow In size, ench brood Is reduced
In number, until, as they approach full,
size, a band which erstwhile num
bered hundreds of little crawlers has
shrunk to a score or two, a "baker's
dozen," or even less. When the sur
vivors pupate they are still attacked
by birds, and the moths or butterflies
as they emerge and try their wings
are pursued by their swifter feath
ered enemies.
Blarney Stone Trsdltlon
Phe Blarney stone Inscription Is net
ting dim. It reads: "Cormach Mac-
Carthy: fortls me fieri fecit. AT).
1449." The tradition about the stonn
Is, of course, that when the Spaniards
were urging the Irish chieftains to
harass the English, one Cormach Mo.
Dermod Curthy, who held the castle,
naa concluded an armistice with the
lord president on condition of snrren.
derlng It to nn English garrison. Car
thy put off his lordship day after day
with fair promises and fnlse pretexts,
until the latter became the lauirhln?
stock of his acquaintances, and the
formers honeyed and delusive
speeches were stamned with tho tm
of Blurnov.
c
THE WESTERN .
STOCK GROWER
Both
Papers
1 Year
Try a Little Classified Ad.
CHICHESTER S PILLS
THE DIAMOND BRAND. A
MlMl AikrwrVraMMfc.
h!-ka-t- IHiMMlTlrai
I'lIU la Hd Bad 11 A mt,ll
born, MhUd with Blu. Rlbboa.
PraMM. AiktoClfW-lfKH-Tnt
DIAMOND IIHAND PILXJL hi U
mkmatAIWlUnilUWl
SOLO BY DRUGGISTS EVERYWHERE
An "ad" in this pa
per gets business
Has No Equal
No Rival
No Substitute
IT IS THE BEST
J E. STEWART &CO
DR. TURNER,
EYE SPECIALIST
Visits Prineville each 1st and 8rd
Frday of each month,
him at Hotel Prineville
Consult
THE COZY HOTEL
OF BEND
Solicits Your Patronage
w ;
w mm
J TEA
HOFFEE
A monthly publication de
voted to the livestock
industry
Subscription price $1.00 per year
Crook Co. Journal $2.00 per year
Published at Prineville, Oregon
in the heart of the
livestock country
Make Remittance! to
The Western
Stock Grower
PRINEVILLE, CRCGON
- mi i i i i i i 1 1 i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i mi
ssr mi i i i i i i i i i .. i i i i i i i i i i iiii
0CH0C0 REALTY
COMPANY
IIII Has some very attractive bar-
Ull gains In farms on its books and l
Ull would be glad to have you In-
MM vostlgate some of these buys. l
There Is also a chance for a
illi trade for some good Oregon and II
HI Washington property for Och II
HI oco District lands. Come In
HI anc' see us about it. If you are II
HI thinking of selling your place II
HI we would like to list it We I
HI make no charge for advertising II
Ill vniuftv mv via a VUIIillllBBlUJl
Ull baala and are very fair. l