The Farmers Advocate from Topeka, Kansas • 9

THE" FARHEKS ADVOCATE December 14, 1905. Advice Firosia Tlhie EsipeiraHaeiiit Goino Valuable Pointers Given on Growing Alfalfa and Macaroni Wheat after wheat harvest and plowed under as green manure or pastured off in the fall, when it is advisable to grow some cultivated crop the succeeding season, returning again to wheat the year following. Or the cowpeas may be grown as a season's crop, planting in the early part of June, when the crop may be taken off either for forage or seed, or pastured, and the ground planted to wheat the same fall. Soy beans are, not so well adapted for growing in western Kansas as cowpeas, in fact the crop is a much less profitable one for forage than cowpeas, grown anywhere in the state, and for the production of grain soy beans can not usually be grown at a profit. It is true also that the bacteria which work on the roots of soy beans are usually not present in the western soils, while those which work on cowpeas appear to be uniformly present, at least in small numbers, when by the growing of the crop they rapidly develop and increase in the soil.

Because of tliis fact soy beans do not usually prove to be so thrifty a crop as cowpeas, also they do not have as beneficial an effect on the land. Durum or macaroni wheat is well adapted for growing in southwestern Kansas. I found several farmers along the Rock Island railway in Pratt Kiowa, and Ford counties, who had produced large yields of durum spring wheat last season, the largest yield of which I learned was 50 bushels to the 10 acres of sod to a depth of 4 inches using care to have sod evenly turned, then pack or drag the land, then double disc and harrow the land and in the first or second week in May seed the land as outlined in Mr. Elling's letter. Now if we get a wet spring don't you think we stand a show to get a stand of alfalfa? If we don't we are out the cost of the seed and if the alfalfa fails to start we can harrow the ground after the rains throughout the summer and in the fall seed the land again to alfalfa and if this second seeding fails let the land lay over the winter and seed in the next spring or one year after land was broken up.

This would give all the schemes a test. Now if you have any objections or can suggest any improvements1 to this plan let me know what they are. Very little alfalfa is grown in our neighborhood in Ellis county and our efforts will be watched and followed to some extent and with us it is not what it costs but we want to get a stand of alfalfa. Our man does not have a packer or roller, what do you use for this work, a roller or a regular packer? What is the cost of such a tool? Would it be possible for us to rent a packer or roller for one day from the Ft. Hays school, as our land is near the school.

There is a concern in To' peka makes a packer; do you know the name of the concern? I send you stamped envelope and thanking you for your trouble. E. P. HAMLIN. Kansas City, Nov.

27, 1905. E. P. Hamlin, Kansas City, Mo. Dear Sir; The objection to your plan' is the expense to which you will be for the purchasing of seed, should the alfalfa fail to make a stand.

I would suggest that you do not sow the al-alfaf at all unless the seed bed can be put into proper condition, and unless the weather conditions are favorable for sprouting the seed and starting the young plants. If you get the 'seed bed ready, as you have described, next spring and there is plenty of rain it may be safe to sow the alfalfa next spring, or rather late in the spring. However, if the soil does not become wet enough or firm enough and there is great chance that the alfalfa seed will not germinate, I would recommend not to sow, as you will almost surely lose the seed if you do. If you cultivate the land during the summer there is little question but that favorable conditions will occur in the early fall for, seeding the alfalfa, with the strong promise of getting a successful stand, yet with an unfavorable fall macaroni wneat in kwmi Kansas Experiment Station, Manhattan, Kan. Gentlemen: Con you give me some information in regard to growing macaroni wheat? Has a bulletin been issued on this subject? Where can good pure seed be procured? At what rate should it be planted per acre? It is a spring wheat is it not? Yours truly, GEO.

N. METTLER. Burlington, R. D. 4.

Nov. 21, 1905, Mr. Geo. N. Mettler, Burlington, Kan.

Dear Sir: Your letter to the experiment station has been referred to me for further answer. I have mailed circular giving some information regarding the tests of wheat and other grains at the several experiment stations in this state. At this station and also at Ft. Hays and McPherson the durum or macaroni spring wheat has not yielded well com pared with the best producing varieties of winter wheat. At this station we are developing a winter variety of durum wheat and expect to have some seed for distribution next fall.

I have recently made a tour on the Rock Is'and "Kansas Corn and Wheat Special" 'through southwestern and northwestern Kansas, and find that durum wheat is being grown very ex tensively in both sections of the state; in some cases larger yields of macaroni wheat have been secured than of winter wheat. I am unable to understand why such unfavorable results have been se cured at Ft. Hays, but am inclined to believe that the wheat was sown too late in the spring; I find that western Kansas farmers sow very early in the spring, and even in the winter, and in this way secure large yields of wheat of good quality. The durum wheat is being purchased by the grain dealers wher ever it is grown in sufficient quantity to handle in carload lots, the price be ing paid is 8 to 10 cents less per bushel than the price of No. 2 red.

There is no question but that the durum wheat is very hardy and is cer tainly better adapted for' growing in western Kansas than the ordinary va rieties of spring wheat. Good seed wheat may be secured from western seed nrms and also irom western growers. refer you to F. Barteldes Law rence, and 1 have the address of Nic Mayrath, Dodge City, a farm er whom I met on the Rock Island tour, who grows a large amount of durum wheat and has seed for sale. Consider able of this wheat is grown about Dodge City and also near Pratt, in Pratt county.

Refer you also to E. W. Al bright, Brewster, Kan. Considerable durum wheat is grown in Sherman and Thomas counties. The method of culture for durum wheat is practically the' same as that adapted to the growing of ordinary spring wheat, barley, and other spring grains.

Probably it is advisable to always fall plow, so that a seeilbed may be prepared very early in the spring. It is not advisable to sow wheat in a loose mellow bed; rather the ground should be firm and well settled below the point at which the seed is sown. I have sent brief of wheat talk delivered on the Rock Island corn and wheat train tour. Yours very A. M.

TEN EYCK. Nov. 24, 1905. Crops for Southwestern Kansas. The Kansas State Experiment Station, Manhattan, Kan.

Gentlemen: As I am interested in the farming development of Kiowa county and not well versed in its practicability I write asking your advice and suggestions in regard to the sowing of wheat. I would like to know the best possible method of culture for growing wheat about 11' miles southwest of Greensburg, in Kiowa county, and whether the lands will grow any leguminous crops after being exhausted by wheat. If so, what crops? Is it possible to grow soy beans on that land, and if so please state method. Can macaroni wheat be sown there profitably, and will western elevators accept same, or does it have to be shipped East? Ary information you can give me in regard to the best methods of cultivation for this land will be greatly appreciated. Yours truly, THOMAS N.

HOGAN. Belvidere, Nov. 21, 1905. Mr. Thomas N.

Hogan, Belvidere, Kan. Dear Sir: A few weeks ago, as lecturer on the Rock Island "Corn and Wheat Train," I. passed through Kiowa county, and was very much pleased with the appearance of the country. Also from Secretary F. D.

Coburn's reports I find that this is one of the best agricultural counties southwestern Kansas. With reference to the best methods of growing wheat in the locality named, not being fully acquainted with the character of the soil, I could only make general suggestions which apply to wheat growing anywhere throughout western Kansas. I have therefore mailed to you a copy of a brief of my lecture on wheat, which I delivered on the Rock Island "Corn and Wheat Train." Without doubt thorough tillage and proper cultivation of the land will amply reward the wheat farmer in western Kansas. "The Campbell System of Culture," in whole or in part is a practical system to follow in your section of the state, and it would be well for you to secure a copy of "Campbell's Soil Culture," published by H. W.

Campbell, the author, Lincoln, Neb. Alfalfa is successfully grown in Kiowa county, and there is no better legume crop for renewing the soil fertility, and no more profitable crop can be grown in western Kansas than alfalfa. If alfalfa is used in rotation the land should be kept in alfalfa at least three or four years, when it may be planted with corn and again returned to wheat, or wheat. may be planted directly after alfalfa but there is some danger that the first crop of wheat after alfalfa may grew Joo rank and lodge, producing light grain. A most excellent legume crop to use in shorter rotations is cowpeas.

This crop is well adapted for growing in southwestern Kansas. It may be planted, in favorable seasons, immediately 15he Selection Those who expect to buy a registered boar pig this fall should, not defer this matter any longer. Those who buy early in the season, get the first choice of the breeder's herd. True, the best are always left, nevertheless the best have also been selected. A number of our readers not only expect to buy registered boars but registered sows as well.

Many of them intend to buy in January or February, believing that to buy bred gilts is the most economical way to get started in the pure bred hog business. It is possible that a man who expects to buy only two or three sows may do just as well, and perhaps better, by buy ing bred gilts. At the same time the fact should not be overlooked that where the breeder breeds his gilts, he usually breeds them to his herd boar or some boar with a reputation. On the face of it, this may look very inviting, yet this is by no means the best plan to pursue, as ten chances to one many of the gilts may not nick with the boar and would do much better if bred, to another male more suitable to their particular build. The best plan for the farmer is to se lect his gilts with a certain definite idea as to type in mind and then go and purchase a boar for those particular sows.

It is not an easy matter to secure ideal gilts in every respect. Some will be slightly deficient in back; others in hind quarters; others may have slight de ficiencies in the ears, etc. For that reason, when a boar is selected he should be particularly strong in the points in which, the sows are weak. If the sow is deficient in the back, the boar should acre. The western grain dealers are now accepting this wheat provided it is grown in large enough quantity so tha they can handle it in carload lots.

How' ever, I understood that the price was about 10 cents per bushel less than the price of No. 2 red, but this is partly offset by the larger yields which are se cured from durum wheat compared with ordinary winter wheat. Yours very truly, A. M. TEN EYCK.

Nov. 24, 1905. Mr. A. Mr Ten Eyck, Manhattan, Kan.

Dear Sir: Your letter at hand and greatly appreciated the suggestions con tained therein. After going over your letter and the letter from Mr. Elling we figure we can do as follows Next spring, say first week in April, break up of a Eierd Boa? have an exceptionally strong back. This does not mean that his back should be abnormally developed, but rather that he should be perfect in that particular. The same applies to size of bone and other deficiencies that may exist.

Farmers Tribune. BUTCHER YOUR OWN HOGS. The farmer who sells his hogs at 4 or 5 eents per pound and buys them bock in the form of bacon, sausage and hams at 12 to 20 cents is paying an enormous priee to get rid of butchering. Not only must he pay for the butchering, sausage making, curing and smoking, but the freight to market on the hogs and back again on the products, commissions, yardage, the packers profit, and the profit of the retailer. Besides all this, he does not get his own hogs back, nor usually so good a quality of meat as he could cure himself.

With hogs going down and meat up, the farmer, consumer is getting pinched at both cndsl If the butchering and curing is a dreaded job, why not try to combine with two, three or a half 'dozen neighbors, as we do here, and do the work all at one place. Practice a little co-operative butchering, and what meat you don't want can be easily and profitably marketed. Jacob Singer, Iowa. In feeding horses, bear in mind that it is the amount of food digested, not eaten, that gives the horse strength. Provide shelter for the colts so as to keep them out of the cold fall rains.

I would still delay seeding with the hopes of having a more favorable condi tion early next spring. Of course alfalfa is a profitable crop to grow on any land, but it should be the purpose to sow alfalfa on old land or land which has been farmed a number of years, rather than sow it on new breaking. The new land is abundantly fertile and will produce large grain crops when put under cultivation, while the fertility of the old land may be somewhat exhausted and such land needs the rotation with alfalfa in order to restore its fertility and put the soil in shape to grow larger crops of grain when the al falfa has been plowed down. If you do not have a sub-surface packer the disk harrow may be made to take its place to a considerable extent, by setting the disks straight and weighting the harrow down so as to make it cut deep in the mellow soil and act somewhat as a packer as well as a pulverizer. I think without doubt you would be able to secure the loan of a sub-surface packer from the Ft.

Hays, branch station. The Topeka Foundry Topeka, manufactures a packer which may be used either as a surface roller or as a sub-surface packer. The Campbell sub-surface packer is raanu- actured by the Ottawa Foundry Ottawa, 111 The price of a four-horse Campbell packer, which covers a span of 7 feet 6 Inches, is $37. I believe the Topeka Foundry packer sells at about the same price. Yours very truly.

A. M. TEN EYCK. Nov. 23, 1805..