Vetch Proves Worth on Idle LandI
(Editor’s note: The follow
ing success story of a vetch
test plot was written and pre
pared by C. R. (“Bob”) Hill,
unit conservationist for the
Holt County Soil Conservation
District. The plot was a prin
cipal topic and source of pride
in the discussions at the annual
meeting of the district, which
was held Tuesday in O’Neill.)
Vetch
During 1953 the Holt Soil
Conservation District supervis
ors set up what is probably
their most important single ven
ture in their 10 years, of exist
ance.
Raymond Heiss, chairman of
tf c board a year ago. made land
available to the district for a
trial. It is the 40 acres located
one-eighth mile east of the junc
tion of highways 108 and 20,
south of Page. The district is to
receive all revenue from this 40
acres for the first five yars and
the land is to be turned back to
the Heiss estate at that time
with an established stand of
grass. At the end of that time,
if the field is not established to
grass or if the district has not
made expenses on the project,
the time will be extended at the
option of the district.
The district hopes to show the
following lpformaiion through
the use of this plot.
1. Plant a variety of native
grasses using several methods to
determine which method of
planting might be best suited for
this area.
2. Apply various kinds of fer
tilizer at various rates and
check results.
3. Plant native grass in solid
stands rather than mixture to
enable grass seed to be harvest
ed and thus result in a larger
cash income for the district.
4. Keep accurate records as to
expenditures and receipts to de
termine if profits were derived
and be able to cite it as exam
ple of correct seeding method
and operational procedure to de
nve the most benefit in cash in
come for other cooperators.
The objectives have been es
tablished. A brief description of
how they were accomplished
^and the results are in order. This
tfield had not been farmed for
jfome 35 years. There was a
sparse covering of annual grass
es and weeds with a scattering
rf partridge pea and a few
plants of native grass, such as
switch grass, big bluestem and
sandlove grass and Indian grass
Plats A through F (see line
drawing) were subtilled, skew
treaded and packed. Plot A was
seeded to sandhill bluestem with
vetch and oats. Plot B was seed
ed to sandlove grass. C was seed
ed to sandlove grass and vetch
and oats. D and E were seeded
to vetch and oats. F and G were
seeded to switch grass with
vetch and oats. The ground
preparation and seeding were
completed by April 20, 1953.
Plot B was seeded with vetch in
the fall of 1953. Plot D will be
seeded to sandlove grass in the
spring of 1954. At the same time
plot E will be seeded to switch
grass.
Milk Used
It was originally intended to
seed plot G to switch grass al me
but at the time of ground prep
aration it was too wet to subtill
so vetch was added to the mix
ture in an effort to reduce the
competition of annual weeds and
grasss. All vetch seed was dou
ble innoculated with “C” nitro
gen using milk as a wetting
agent instead of water.
The method of seeding sand
love grass is designed to com
pare seeding grass followed by
vetch seeding, seeding both at
the same time and seeding vetch
ahead of native grass.
Plot I was prepared in the
same manner in the fall and
seeded to tall wheat grass and
fertilized at the rate of 100
pounds of 0-20-0 per acre.
Fertilizer was applied to plots
A through H in strips marked 1
to 9 on April 22, 1953, as shown
in the table below.
Strip Anal- Cost
No. Rate ysis A
1 _ 300 0-20-0 7.08
2 _ 200 0-20-0 4.72
3 _ 100 0-20-0 2.36
4 _ 300 10-20-0 13.59
5 _ 200 10-20-0 9.06
6 _ 100 10-20-0 4.53
7 240 8-32-0 10.56
8 _ 160 8-32-0 7.04
9 _ 80 8-32-0 3.52
In late August a fair to good
stand of grasses could be found
on all plots where grass had
been seeded. However, it is too
early to draw any conclusion on
he various treatments as far aw
a stand of grasses is concerned.
In the early part of the sea
son in strip 4, the 300 pounds
per acre of 10-20-0, showed up
as the best growth. However, by
the last of July, the vetch in
strip 4 had just begun to form
nitrogen nodules on the roots
while in all other treatments
nodules were more abundant,
and in some cases, the nodules
were formed by June 15.
At the field day, August 12,
samples were taken from three
fertilizer treated strips, 1, 3 ana
4 and the roots washed witn
water to determine the amount
of nodulation. The plants it™11
plot 4 had fair nodulation The
mass of nodules combined would
probably form a ball about the
size of a walnut. In plot 3 the
ball of nodules was more than
------ -
could be held in one hand. In
plot 1 the nodulation was so
heavy it was impossible to wash
them free. On and near the cen
tral root was a mass of nodules
in an oval about four inches in
diameter and five or six inches
long.
From this observation it is ev
ident that the application of
nitrogen and phosphate, while
promoting early growth, reduced
nitrogen fixation on the roots.
In fact, nitrogen fixation was
just as great in the check strips
where no fertilizer was applied
as in the heaviest application of
mixed fertilizer.
It is also evident that if vetch
is grown for soil fertility the
more phosphate applied the
greater is the nodulation and
therefore the more nitrogen is
fixed on the roots to become
available to succeeding crops.
Another thing happened that
amazed everyone who visited
these plots. Everyone connected
with the work, extension per
sonnel and college men from the
university all were surprised to
see .the abundance of partridge
pea. Where the vetch was not
seeded or where it was a thin
stand due to seeding difficulties
the yellow baossom pea flour
ished. Even in the heaviest
growth of vetch an abundance
of partridge pea was to be
found.
Most visitors found it hard to
believe that it had not been
seeded in the mixture. It hadn’t.
The only plausible explanation
is that evidently this plant had
been present for several years
but had escaped notice because,
due to the low fertility, it had
never produced very abundant
ly. However, with the cultiva
tion and fertilization much of
the seed of previous years grew
and as a result there was a
tremendous increase of partridge
pea. Plot I had a very heavy
stand of pea but the growth was
not as rank as in the fertilized
area. However, when the tall
wheat grass was seeded last fall
it was decided not to add vetch
but rather to leave this area for
comparison and as a seed source.
Partridge pea is apparently
much more tolerant to extreme
ly wet conditions than vetch. In
plot G water stood in a small
area for a short time in the
spring of the year. The vetch
was drowned out but the pea
was “as thick as hair on a dog’s
back” and from two to three
feet high.
This plant should not be con
sidered too highly as a legume
for the sandy soils of Holt
county. It is a “native.” The first
seed was harvested on the Lou
is Sobotka farm near Inman a
few years ago. This was named
the “Holt variety” and is grown
along side other varieties at the
Pierce farms and the agricultur
al college experiment station at
Lincoln. Being a native it ma
tures a week or two earlier
than other varieties.
It is an upright growing plant
and does not present the har
vesting problems of a heavy
stand of vetch. It is a summer
annual and should be seeded
in the spring of the year. At
harvest time it is usually below
the combined heights of oats
and rye, but matures a few
weeks later and may be har
vested or allowed to stand and
I form excellent winter cover.
Like vetch, once it is well estab
lished, it will maintain itself in
a corn-small grain rotation. At
the Pierce experiment farms it
shows promise of increasing
yields nearly as much as vetch.
However, the increase after
the first year is not as great.
Now, for the all important
consideration, how did it pay
out? Following is a list of ex
penditures and a conservative
estimate of the value of the seed
harvested:
EXPENSES
Spring labor _$ 90.16
Innoculation - 2.90
Vetch seed _—— 58.80
Fertilizer _131.07
Oats _ 13.00,
DR. J, L. SHERBAHN
O’Neill. Nebraska
Complete X-Ray Equipment
V» Block So. of Ford Garage
| EDW. M. GLEESON
DENTIST
2d Floor Gilligan
Rexall Bldg.
I Ph. 240 - Box 149 - Hrs. 8:30-5
•--—
CARA NOME
Cream
Deodorant
Regular $1
I Now Only...
Cara Nome Combination!
Natural Curl Permanent and Shampoo
Reg. 2.60 Value_NOW, both for 1.89
PHONOGRAPH RECORDS
1 45’., 78’. _Only 35c Ea~
CLEAN-UP SPECIAL!
Sponge and Chamois Combination
Just the thing for cleaning the car
Reg. 2.69 Value -BothjorLgg
BATH AND SHOWER SPRAY
Just the thing for shampooing the hair ^
Only -——-- -
We now have in slock the powdered tom ot
BENEZENE HEXACHLOR1DE
Also theliquid form. Come in and we will gladly tell you
the advantages of each_
Here Is Just a Reminder!
It won’t be long before Spring planting will be here and the
need for insecticides and seed disiniectan s_
When you think of treating SCOURS
think of KOASTREP
REMEMBER, Mr. Stockman and
Mr. Farmer:
If you have any animal health problems, come in and we will
gladly talk them over with you_
We Have TINFOIL WRAP
... to help keep those left-overs fresh.
Made of Rexall Quality at Rexall Popular Prices!
GILLIGAN'S loss
I With One Purpose: To Serve You
•*
The above illustration shows the location, seeding arrangement (by letters) and fertilization
(by numbers) on the Holt County Soil Conservation district's vetch plot, south of Page.
This shows an overall picture of the entire plot. It's difficult
wading through kneehigh vetch in mid-July. By mid-August the
growth is much greater.
Don Burzloff (left) stands in kneehigh vetch and C. R. Hill
(right) poses in anklehigh vetch. The kneehigh vetch was fertil
ized with 300 pounds of 10-20-0. Hill stands in unfertilized vetch.
Combining & cleaning _ 200.00
Total _$495 93
RECEIPTS
1300 lbs. partridge pea @
20c _$260.00
4400 lbs. vetch seed @
12c _ 528.00
$788.00
In addition the Soil Conserva
tion Service furnished grass seed
for seed increase purposes which
included 20 pounds of sandlove
grass seed, 50 pounds sand blue
stem, 55 pounds switch grass and
50 pounds Indian grass. No ex
penses were charged for fall
work on plot I.
In addition Mrs. Heiss stacked
approximately 18 tons of vetch
4>hay after it was combined.
The technical staff and the
district supervisors alike are
looking forward most eagerly to
the remaining four years of the
project. If the results to come are
as enlightening and full of sur
prises as the first year’s it will
indeed be an interesting project.
A field day will be planned
during the summer so that all
who wish may inspect the plots
at that time.
Attends Funeral
for Brother-in-Law
AMELIA— Mrs. Frank Back
haus went to Omaha Monday,
March 1, to attend the funeral
of her brother-in-law, Henry
Gunzenhauser. Mr. and Mrs.
Gunzenhauser were former Am
elia residents They have one
daughter, Mrs. Doris Smith of
Omaha. Mrs. Gunzenhauser is
the former Ethel Bradshaw.
Other Amelia News
The quarterly conference of
the Amelia and Chambers Meth
odist churches was held Sunday
afternoon at the Amelia Meth
odist church. Rev. J. LaVerne
Jay of O’Neill, district superin
tendent, was present to conduct
the blusiness meeting.
Mr. and Mrs. Hienie Frahm
and Patty visited Mr. and Mrs.
Jerome Krutz and family near
Stanton on Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Schade vis
ited the Lindseys Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Coolidge
and Calvin and Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Coolidge and Kenneth
visited the Randall dam at Picks
town, S.D., Saturday.
Mrs. Jennie Adams returned
to her home in Atkinson Satur
day after a week’s visit with Mr.
and Mrs. Ed White.
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Rees and
family went to Burwell Sunday
to visit her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Will Matthauser.
Mr. and Mrs. Cleve Sigman
and daughter of Morrill visited
his father, Charles Sigman, Wed
nesday and Thursday, March 2
and 3. They were enroute to
Ohio to visit Mrs. Sigmans
parents. On Thursday, they were
dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs
B. W. Waldo.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed White, Mrs.
Jennie Adams and Mr. and
Mrs. Charles Coolidge were din
ner guests Friday at the home
of Mr. and Mrs Elmer Coolidge.
Calvin Colidge reported for
his army physical examination
Wednesday, March 10.
Gene Shermer spent the week
end with his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Asa Shermer, £nd family,
enroute to Lackland air base at
San Antonio, Tex.
Mrs. Julia White returned
home Friday from a three weeks’
visit with relatives at York.
Mrs. Bertha Sammons and
Mrs. Mamie Sammons spent
Sunday with Mrs Blake Ott
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Werner
and Dennis and Connie visited
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. W.
Waldo, Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Johnston
were Sunday dinner guests at
Vern Sageser’s.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Tibbetts
and daughters of Omaha visited
Saturday and Sunday with her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Asa Wat
son, and family.
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Blackmore
and Louann of Pickstown, S.D.,
visited Mr. and Mrs. Asa Watson
Sunday afternoon.
Mrs. Lyle Fix will be honored
with a post-nuptial shower Fri
day evening, March 12, at the
Amelia schoolhouse.
Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Forbes en
tertained several couples at a
card party Saturady evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Brown and
daughters visited her father,
Charles Sigman, Sunday. The
occasion was Mr Sigman’s
birthday anniversary.
Several ladies gathered at the
home of Mrs. Vern Sageser on
Monday afternoon to help her
quilt. Those present were Mrs.
Mae Sageser, Mrs. Ed White,
Mrs. Jennie Adams, Mrs. Emma
Lindsey, Mrs. Ralph Rees, Mrs
Clyde Widman, Mrs. Ernest
Johnston, Mrs. Etta Ott and
Mrs. Mamie Sammons.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed White, Mr.
and Mrs. Elmer Coolidge and
Calvin and Mr. and Mrs. Char
les Coolindge and Kenneth vis
ited Mr., and Mrs. W. E. Ragland
and family at their new home
near Page Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Adair are
setled in their new home on the
Stella Sparks place.
Mrs. Elsie. Doolittle entertained
at a birthday anniversary sup
per Friday evening in honor of
the anniversaries of her son,
Jimie, and Mrs. Art Doolittle.
Members of the family and Mrs.
Tom Doolittle, sr., and C’mton
were present
Mr. and Mrs. William Fryrear,
Mrs. Don Davis, Mr. and Mi's.
Orland Fryrear, Mr. and Mrs. Ar
thur Hiatt and Mrs. Julia White
visited Mrs. Lindsey and Flor
ence Sunday evening
Tune in “Voice of Tne Fron
tier”, thrice weekly!
BIGLIN'S
Funeral Directors
O’NEILL
Day Ph. Night Ph.
38 487-R or 200
Nitrogen nodules were found on roots of vetch plants.
£ Buxzloff and Hill find plenty of grass seedlings under dense
j cover of vetch and partridge pea.
no m
LIFTING PIPES
FULL OF WATER
\^^The leader in Features
that Save Water,
Walking & Work
Saves If out "Tim*... Saves If out Ptofoitl
All you do bo for# moving WADE* RAIN Sprinkler lino* b to turn
off th* Main Un* Valv*. WADE‘RAIN Pipes drain automatically
lor fast, easy moving, b*caus* th* Loks-ln Gasket relax** when
pressure is off. Only WADE'RAIN hos this feature.
j
0 Seven great time and labor saving
Features that boost yields & profits!
• Without obligation, our Field
Technician will call to help
you plan a layout exactly
suited to your farm!
MAIL COUPON TODAY
r J. F. BRADY CO., Atkinson
® Please Send me Complete Information and Free Illustrated Literature oa v £
\ WADE'RAIN Sprinkler Irrigation ■
I 1
I NAME_—- m
* RT. & BOX_—-- J
■ CITY___STATE-- *
ill■ ^
**
4th Street Market
ROBIN HOOD A AA
FLOUR 50-lb. bag.0.07
VdWffrik FRUIT
JUICES
ORANGE JUICE • BLENDED JUKE
GRAPEFRUIT JUICE"_
462?
em
— m_■
f
TUNA PIES Sf
PEAS 2® 39;
DUNCAN liES'Sf» JS
tm cocMNKrsr is
whcievsgumsk, ■
socMt iKmreMms* 1
SLICED OR HALVED _
75 .W
Florida Marshseedless
GRAPEFRUIT !
6 No. 96 Size.29c
Sunkisi
ORANGES
Lb.10c
Red U.S. No. 1
POTATOES
100-Lb. Bag.2.49
: SEEF CHUCK
:ROA
■ JUICY**
I-46'
j TEMPER-DeilCIOOS Pi*
I PORK STEAK*!#
I OLD FASHIONED COARSE
KM
FRANKFURTERS
the tender, juicy kind WO.
! New Texas
CABBAGE lb. 5c
4 TH STREET MKT.
— Phone 93-W —