The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-10-04

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the fact that after seven or more success.
siye years of growing wheat on the same
land. ~"stubbling 1t In" we find that we
have not made it pay, that many of us
arc actually poorer to-day than we were
when we commenced, it is foolish to con
Time II longer. If we must grow wheat
10 adopt some other method of growing
Il which. either alone or in connection
with other farm industries, will make
farming more profitable, would seem to
he a better course to pursue; and TO cite
a few facts and figures. showing that
growing wheat on fallows in connec-
tion with sheep husbandry may be made
10 bring more rcnumeratiye returns. is
my object.
Several years ago relatives of the
writer, then living in eastern Barnes
county, harvested 100 acres of wheat
grown on land fallowed the previous
-ear, from which they obtained IS bush
els to the acre. Their stubble ground.
200 acres, gave them 30 bushels to the
acre. The season was a wet and unfa-
ysrable one for a crop. The following
wear they had 1870 acres of fallow that
Welded 30 bushels to the acre while their
~'stubbled in-wheat' gave them only 12
bushels of wheat per acre. In 1887 MIR.
Lewis, eight miles east of Ashton, har-
vested $50 acres of wheat grown on fal
low that yielded from IS to 80 bushels
per acre. If l remember right, - bush
els an acre was more than wheat averaged
grown on stubble,in that vicinity that
year. The same year, aud also the fol
lowing, my "stubbled-in-wheet yielded
less than one-half as much as l obtained
from the fallow.
The above is sufficient to show that
through a series of years more wheat
per acre can be raised on fallows, by
sowing it on the same field once in two
years and following the field the interven-
ing years, than can be obtained by SOW
ing it annually, while it is grown at q
saving of half the seed, aud it need not
necessarily cost much more than half
the labor.
Icame to Dakota from Michigan, q
wheat growing state, where the crop IS
largely grown on fallows, and one where
farmers are universally engaged in di-
versifed farming. Let mo go back and
pursue the same course in farming that
/ have pursued here, depend for an IN
come on a single farm product. and that
product wheat, md sow it each success
siye year on the same field, | would be
wild and loonY; my relatives might have
agaardian appointed for me or they
might consider ME d fit subject for an
insane asylum.
"A fallow should be plowed early, as
soon after corn planting as the work car
be done. To leave it until late In the sea-
son with the expectation that turning
under a rank, heavy growth of weeds
will, by enrIching the soil, help the next
crop, l think will prove n disappoint-
never seen. think that in our dry soil
the weeds would be more of an injury
than otherwise, as they would not be
sufficiently rotted to afford plant food
for the crop, but would lie In the bottom
Of the furrow, partially decayed, and
PERHAPS. check the descent of plant roots
1nSihe soil below them, and cheek the
ascent of any moisture TO the surface
soil. Aster the fallew is plowcd ii
should be kept rs clean ard free MS pos
sibie from all growing vegetation. The
work can be done with a plow, harrow
or %cultivator, but it can be done better
and cheaper with sheep.
Sheep are cleaners. They like variety
OF feed and are partial to weeds. Last
year l had two fields fenced -125 acres
tallowed and $50 acres nearly all un.
broken prairie. My sheep hadthe range
of two fields mud through the entire sea
son they kept the fallow almost as clear
and free from grass and weeds as q barn
floor. They did this work while CLEAN
ing the fields aud enriching the soil b,
spreading their droppings and plantin.
their golden hoots'' over 1t, and the,
were bringing me al income by the in
/. crease of stock and from the sale OF WOO
the following year, equal to nearly SO
day. Sundays not excepted, or nearl,
$3.50 a day for each working day In tn
year.
Dakota is a sheep country. Its DIR,
climate and perfect freedom from rail
in the winter makes it peculiarly adapt
ed to that industry, to much so that TIL
knowing ones" pronounced it %unequale'
by few pl.ces In the United States an
excelled by none The tendency in ma
ture is toward protection, and our coll
winters are productive of quite heav,
feeces. 1t is claimed by farmers VIII
brought sheep from Michigan to Dakot
that the change added about three pound
in weight to the fleece. Sheep do we.
here in summer on our native grasses
With a little grain fed to them daily, j
addition to q range of prairie and stubbl
fields. they will keep in good conditio
IN winter as long as there is no snow
Last winter my sheep ate but very littl
hay until after the first snow in January
They will winter on prairie hay wit
some grain, but millet hay is better.
had the care of sheep more or less &c
nearly forty years before l came to DIS
kota, and there is no hay that / hay
ever fed that is equal to good millet. ]
IS u poor sheep that will not winter 0
millet and keep IN good condition will
Y gain, providing it has good shelte
and plenty OF water.
While ! do not pretend that other stoc
than sheep may not be probably raise
in Dakota, l don't think there is an
other that will bring quicker or bette
returns on the capital invested. / re
gret that 4 am not able to give the exne
figures in relation to profits, as my las
years Clip of wool IS not sold. bepal