St. Paul daily globe., 1895-08-06
CORN WILL BE KING.
pROF. THOMAS SHAW SAYS 1T
WILL BE OUR MOST IIPOR-
TINT CRGP.
REASONS FOR HIS BELIEF.
rNFAILING FOOD FOR STOCK
AND CAN VERY WELL WITH
STAND DROUTH.
VISIT TO 4 MODEL FARM.
Interesting Recital of What the
Expert Saw and What He
Thinks.

''There is not a shadow of doubt
In my mind but that corn is destined
to become the most important crop
of the state. AS a food for live stock,
it can be grown in any part of the
land; it will provide more food per
acre than any other crop grown, un-
less it be sorghum; it can withstand
drought much better than any of
the grain crops; it may be made the
medium through which weeds will
be combatted and destroyed, and the
grain crop which follows it is almost
certain to be a good one. The farm
ers of this state, therefore, cannot
easily give too much attention to
growing corn
Thus spoke Prof Thomas Shaw,
of the state experimental farm, to a
G l b e reporter yesterday. Prof.
Shaw has recently travelled consid-
erably over the state, in relation to
the location of the new additional
experiment station, and in the course
of his travels has closely observed
the methods of farmers in various
sections. For the benefit of readers
interested in agricultural progress,
the G. l o b e gives herewith an inter
esting interview with the professor,
in which he relates what he saw on
A MODEL FARM
on which progressive farming was
the chief feature of attraction. Prof
Shaw said it had been his privilege
within a few days to visit the farm
of some 500 acres which includes
within its borders the village of
Westport, on the Little Falls & Da-
kota branch of the Northern Pacific
railroad, and some twelve miles dis
tant from Sank Center. This farm
is owned and titled by George M
Bennett. Until recently it had been
devoted almost exclusively to the
growth Of wheat. The experience of
the past two or three years made it
evident to Mr.. Bennett that farming
on such lines had to cease if the
farm was to prove a source of reve-
nue.. He decided, therefore, to try the
plan of tillage based upon diversifi-
cation, and, with an enterprise that
is at once wise and commendable, he
is applying the idea of a wide diversi-
fication to all his work.
Il cannot follow his work in all
Its details, but allow me to call at
tention to some of the features that
can be turned to excellent account
by farmers who are looking in the
direction of diversification. Before
doing so it may be mentioned that
Mr.. Bennett the present season has
planted 20 acres to corn, 80 acres to
potatoes, so acres to beans, SIS acres
to peas, As acres to broom corn mil
let, 212 acres to mangels and 2A
acres to onions. He has also some
alfalfa in different ways, has seeded
some of the land to orchard grass,
and is growing peas freely as a soil
Ing crop for swine.
"It is not, therefore, what Mr.. Ben
nett has actually achieved that 1 de-
sire to commend to the notice of
those engaged in farming, because
he has not had time for results that
may be looked upon as safe guides
to follow. Some time must ALWAYS
elapse before such results can come:
but do desire to commend the fun
damental idea that now underlies
and governs all his work to the no
tice of every farmer in the state. I
refer to the principle of
ROTATING CROPS.
If due attention is not given to this
matter, it is only a question of time
tlll rum VIII overtake the farming of all
rIA 60.
system. Mr.. Bennett is now trying to
arrange so that the same crop shall
not be grown upon any part of tbe
farm two years in succession. He is
cutting down the acreage of flax and
wheat every year, because of the ra-
pidity with which they exhaust the
soil, and he is wisely devoting a large
area to crops which require cultivation.
BY doing so it is possible to clean the
land without resorting to the bare fall
low. He secures impaction of the land
through the cultivation given to those
green crops during the season of
growth, and through the benefits lust
mentioned he may look for a good
yield of grain the following year. even
In a season that may not be favorable,
And in addition to these benefits. the
farmer who tills his land thus NAV
pretty certainly look for good Weld
of corn, potatoes or beans, even in a
dry year, if these respective crops are
properly planted and duly cared for.
Some results, however, are very
clearly discernable even now. In a
certain piece of ground Mr. Bennett
grew peas last season, and alongside
of it he grew oats; wheat followed
both Of those crops. Where the peas
had grown the wheat was several
Inches higher than where the oats had
grown, and the difference in favor of
the wheat that had followed the peas
In vigor and promise of yield was
very striking. A large field of oats
which came after a cultivated crop
grown in 1894 was very fine, and the
same was true of other fields of grain
IN the neighborhood which followed
corn. Indeed, so uniform and strik-
ing was this result, that it may be
said with tho