Macaroni or Durum Wheats: A Continuation of Bulletin 92

At the close of the season of 1904, I deemed it advisable to make a selection of the most promising of the Durum wheats, for further investigation along the same exhaustive lines laid down in Bulletin 92 of this Station. My reasons were twofold. In the first place, such work would tend to give a more extended basis for judgment, and in the second place, would also give an opportunity to test out the wheats grown at Highmore under absolutely ideal conditions. The season of 1904 at Highmore was practically a perfect one, so far as the growing of Durum wheat was concerned. The rainfall was just sufficient for the perfect maturation of the crop and there was a complete freedom from all diseases incident to the grain fields. The varieties selected were those that had given the best results in the test of the previous year, and included six varieties of the northern and two of the southern Durums. The rust resisting variety, Iumillo, was also included, in _hopes that it might show some improvement over the previous test. But the improvement was so slight that further tests will only serve to emphasize its inferiority. It will not be necessary to repeat here the history of the samples selected, as that is given in detail in Bulletin 92. The names of the varieties will appear in the several tables contained in this Bulletin. The high grade of the Highmore samples will be readily seen in the Milling and Moisture table under the heading Grade. The best varieties gave a grade closely approximating 64 pounds per bushel, or that of Kubanka 5639, which is probably the best variety experimented with

Drought-Resisting Forage Plants at the Co-Operative Range Experiment Station, Highmore, S. D.

Soon after the appearance of the first Bulletin from this Station announcing the results of the co-operative irrigation experiments in the James River Valley, it became evident that there was urgent need for experiments in drouth-resisting [sic] forage plants in the range regions of this state. Many requests were received from the stock men who were ranging their herds there, that such work should be done. The matter was thoroughly discussed at the home Station and the necessity was fully admitted. But, owing to a lack of funds, no progress was made. It was even urged by the stock men that a portion of the Hatch fund should be set aside for the purpose of establishing a Sub-Station on the divide between the James and Missouri rivers. Even had the home Station the money to spare, a ruling of the Secretary of Agriculture made it impossible thus to employ it. The next attempt to establish the range Station was made through the State legislature. A bill was drawn by the executive officers of the home Station .and presented to the legislature in 1897 by Hon. M. F. Greeley of Gary. This bill passed, but it was unfortunately amended so that the State did not appropriate the necessary funds. But the law ordered the Regents to set aside a portion of the Hatch fund for that purpose. Again, a ruling of the Secretary of Agriculture to the effect, that when the legislature had accepted the Hatch fund and designated the institution to which it should go, it had exhausted its functions, rendered the law a dead letter and the proposed Station was no nearer establishment than before. Here the matter rested until the winter of 1898-99

Macaroni Wheat: Its Milling and Chemical Characteristics

In the year 1900 this Station commenced a co-operative investigation of the different varieties of macaroni wheat with the Bureau of Plant Industry, United States Department of Agriculture. At that time it was decided that the Department of Chemistry of this Station should undertake the work of determining the chemical and milling characteristics of the different wheats grown. It is evident that in introducing a new crop care should be taken that only varieties adapted to our soil and climatic conditions should be recommended and distributed for general cultivation. Especially is this rue of a cereal crop, such as wheat, where so many different industrial factors are concerned. It is not only necessary that the farmer should have the best kinds to grow, but it is also necessary that from the best yielding kinds, those should be farther selected which will best meet the requirements of the miller, the baker and the consumer. Moreover, since macaroni wheat has different uses and adaptations from those of the ordinary bread wheats something more than the usual routine work was required

Macaroni Wheat: Its Milling and Chemical Characteristics and its Adaptation for Making Bread and Macoroni

This Bulletin is a continuation of the work reported in Bulletin No. 82 of this Station. But the work has assumed a wider scope in order to throw more light upon the various industrial uses for which Macaroni wheat is adapted. Of late much controversy has arisen concerning the Macaroni wheat industry. Many and conflicting reports have been circulated in the daily press and in trade journals. It is true that many statements have been prompted by prejudice and adverse trade interest. But in all the discussions the fact that there are many kinds of Macaroni wheat, each with its own peculiarities, has been lightly passed over or ignored entirely. The most acrimonious of these discussions have centered around the value of Macaroni wheat for bread making, and its milling value. By some it has been claimed that the flour yield is so low that there is no profit in milling it. Others have contended that the flour yield is greater than for spring bread wheats. Some con tend that it is most difficult to mill while others have reported that they have experienced no difficulty in this respect. Some declare that the flour is so yellow that bakers and the general trade decline to buy it while others find no difficulty in this respect. Some claim that the bread is of poor flavor and of bad color, while others report exactly contraryconditions

The Artesian Waters of South Dakota

The artesian waters of South Dakota are used for three distinct purposes. In the first place they are used by cities as the source of water supply. When thus used they are employed for domestic use, for sprinkling lawns and gardens and for fire protection. Closely, akin to these are the township or neighborhood wells where the water is used conjointly by communities for watering stock and for domestic use. In the second place these waters are used for irrigating purposes mainly and for domestic use incidentally. In such cases the well may be owned by an individual or it may be owned by a stock company. In the third place the waters of some wells are used wholly for power purposes; but the wells thus used are few in number. In any one of the cases mentioned the surplus waters may be used for the purpose of creating running streams or for creating artificial ponds or for irrigation. In some cases, however, the surplus water is discharged directly into some river or stream where it flows to waste. Most of the wells have controlling devices whereby the surplus water is reduced to a minimum. But in case the well is faulty in construction it runs without control

Sugar Beets in South Dakota

The object of this Bulletin may be best achieved by describing each year\u27s work separately. But a few words in regard to the four tables which appear on subsequent pages will be in place here. Most of the headings for these tables are self-explanatory, but other relations are brought out by some explanations. In taking the samples for the field tests one whole row 100 ft. long was harvested, counted and weighed. Every beet was used. The third column gives the number of beets analyzed and consequently the number of beets to 100 ft. row. It is evident that the average distance between beets can be readily calculated. Also by dividing the whole weight of row by the number of beets the average weight per beet is found. The width of the rows is given in another column. The reason for taking such large samples for analysis was to make positively certain that a strictly representative sample was secured. It will be noticed that the field spacing used is rather close. While this causes the individual to grow somewhat smaller, it is advantageous in fixing the type of high sugar content beets. There is a tendency in this state for beets to grow very large and this growth is at the expense of the sugar content

Digestion Coefficients with Sheep

This work in determining Digestion Coefficients with South Dakota grown forage plants and feeding stuffs was commenced in the Fall of 1905. Six grade Merino wethers were secured for this purpose. They were taken up and handled daily until they were perfectly accustomed to their attendant before the feeding trial were started they were kept in a box stall during each trial and were so tied that no one of them could reach the feed box of another. Harnesses were provided by means of which sacks were attached to each sheep to receive the faeces. [sic] The arrangement is shown by the cut on the title page. The sheep soon became accustomed to the harnesses and care was taken that they should be perfectly contented with their surroundings before the actual experiments commenced. In the case of hays and fodders the feed was run through a cutting machine reducing it to half inch lengths. Any refuse was carefully saved, weighed back and analyzed. Each feeding stuff was analyzed and the faeces were also analyzed. Careful moisture determinations were made on the feeding stuff as fed and on the faeces. From these data the digestion coefficients have been determined

A Study of South Dakota Butter with Suggestions for Improvements

At the South Dakota State Dairymen and Buttermakers’ convention held at Mitchell in the month of October, 1907, the question of improving the quality of South Dakota butter was discussed from many points of view. It was realized that dairy products from this state, in quality, should second to none. On eastern markets, in competition with dairy products from various portions of the United States, there should be a special demand, at special high prices, for South Dakota dairy products. This state is favored with all the favorable natural conditions for producing the best possible quality of dairy products. If this state is not doing this now, the fault is with those who produce, handle, and manufacture the raw product, and not due to any unfavorable natural surroundings. Fortunately this is the situation. The former can be regulated, while it is more difficult to control the latter. All acquainted with the dairy situation in this state realize, that as a whole there is room for much improvement in the quality of butter manufactured. With a view of more definitely locating the specific dairy troubles, suggesting possible remedies, and stimulating additional interest in the making of a larger quantity of improved quality of butter a co-operative butter contest under the auspices of the State Dairy Association and the Dairy Department of the Experiment Station was instituted

Native and Introduced Forage Plants

The true grasses are one of the most valuable families of plants. To them belong the small grains (oats, wheat, barley, etc.,), corn, the various sorts of cane, the great bamboo of Asia, and a host of other plants of more or Jess importance to man or beast. In the great prairie regions of the United States the grasses form by far the greater part of the natural vegetation and constitute one of the most valuable of the natural resources as well. In our own state of South Dakota stock-raising- has been one of the leading industries ever since its settlement, and will continue to be so for years to come. The state, as a whole, is peculiarly well adapted to stock-raising and dairying. One of the most important elements in this fitness is the great richness of the grass flora and of the native species in particular. About one hundred and sixty species of grasses are known to grow within the limits of the state. Of these, about one hundred and five are native to the soil, the remainder being found either under cultivation or introduced some other way. Some of them are weeds, but the majority are more or less useful as forage plants

Irrigation in South Dakota

The James River Valley in South Dakota is one of the most fertile tracts of prairie land to be found in the Northwest. It comprises the whole central portion of the state lying along the James River., which flows through the state from north to south. This stretch of prairie land is noted for its wealth of native grasses and for its crops of cereals and for its herds of stock. Were it not that at intervals dry seasons occur, this belt would be a veritable Eldorado for the husbandman. Where so many natural advantages are to be found coupled with such abundant fertility of soil, it is not strange that means should be sought to supply any deficiency of moisture that might occur from time to time and thus to render crop production a matter of inevitable certainty from year to year. But nature has been lavish in her gifts to this region. This valley is situated in the greatest artesian basin known. Just underneath the thousands of square miles of land comprising this valley lies a sheet of water under such a head of pressure that when pierced by the drill of the engineer, a fountain of water rushes out with such force that it rivals the mechanical possibilities of a huge Corliss engine and with sufficient volume to create and sustain lakes and flowing streams. Again it is but natural that the consideration of this volume of water in its possibilities for irrigation purposes should become a problem fraught with the deepest interest, not only to the residents of the James River Valley but also to all interested in the development of the resources of a state