The Dickinson press., 1897-06-12
Tho Campbell System.
NO. IL.

Editor Press:-I was present at the
annual meeting of Stark County
Farmers Club that met at Taylor,
May Goth, 1897, and took few notes
of the talk given by Mr.. B. S. Russell
of James town, N. D., the Northern
Pacific manager Of Campbell's sys-
tenn of soil culture which is being
pushed with considerable success
throughout the dry belt of the north
west. Mr.. Russell said in substance
that the Campbell system when thor
oughly adhered to gave the best of
satisfaction, increasing the yields
nearly 100 per cent and making it
possible to raise crops on ground
year after year which could not un-
der the old method be done. Per.
haps the exact modus operandi may
be new to most of your readers, so 1
will as briefly as possible give it for
the benefit of those whom it may
concern. The same day ground is
plowed a machine called a packer is
run over the field lengthwise of the
burrows, packing the soil down
firmly, after which the land is har4
rowed crosswise as finely as possible,
thus forming what is termed dust
blanket. The dust blanket will con-
serve the moisture and will also in.
duce capillary action Of the soil.
After the land has been narrowed a
seeder of special type is used. drill
lug in the grain 20 inches apart to
the depth of 211 inches; following
seeding the ground may be narrowed
again; in fact, it is advised that har.
row cultivation with light harrow
be continued every few days until
the grain is 3 or 4 inches high, after
which the grain is to be cultivated
every two weeks with a special culti.
vator between rows not to exceed 215
inches in depth. Immediately after
q rain has fallen the land
should be thoroughly culti-
waited to again produce this said dust
blanket, as dry glazed crust will
form as quick as the ground dries un-
der the action of the sun which is
very unfavorable to the conservation
Of moisture. 1t was stated by Mr..
Russell that from land allowed to
crust unbroken loss of one quart of
water from each square foot of earth
would be sustained every "a hours,
while from land Immediately put in.
to the ideal condition the loss would
be practically nothing. It was as.
serted that wheat planted 20 inches
apart in drills, u bushel of seed to
the acre, would stool so as to entirely
cover the ground. An experiment
was tried at Cornell university with
the following results: A yield Of is
bushels was obtained the first year,
IS the second, 80 the third, 86 the
fourth year on the same land. Crops
side by side. the one treated by this
new method, the other by the old
have, shown remarkable results, Of
ten gain Of 100 per cent and always
enough to more than pay for the OK.
ira expense Of the new method Of
cultivation. There is also gain at
time of seeding in the saving of
grain.
To summarize the cost, the new
method may be said to cost about
81 per acre more in labor, saving 40c
per acre in seed, yielding rs to l00
per cent more grain; also leaving the
land in the best condition possible.
In fact, the ground gains each year
under this method of cultivation,
while under the old method it rapid.
ly loses its yielding capacity getting
weedy and needing rest on account
Of its loss Of nitrogen, while tho new
method keeps the land clean of foul
plants and the decay of the number.
less little rootlets on the soil con-
serves the humus and nitrogen in the
soil. Yours, G. 8. CRYNE.