Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1900-02-07

missioner Of labor ana agriculture, open
cd the afternoon session with a paper in
which he discussed the benefits Of the
Tri-state Grain Growers convention.
The afternoon session was presided
over by Prof. w. M. Hays, Minnesota
Agricultural College.
Prof. J. H. Shepperd, North Dakota
Agricultural College, gave the convention
an interesting talk upon the selection of
good grain for seed. He dilated at length
upon recent Minnesota experiments which
have shown that by crossing varieties
the yield of the cereal has not only been
increased several bushels per acre, but
the quality has been enhanced. He MAIN
tanned that crossing the grain was just as
important as crossing breeds in live
stock. AS a general rule he commended
the selection Of larger kernels for seed.
Prof Shepperd was literally buried I'M
der an avalanche of questions which
poured in upon him as soon as he con-
cluded his paper. Everybody wanted to
know just how to secure the best seed
wheat. Whether to secure a change
from North or South, and what varieties
are BEST were questions which were an
swered as well as possible.
The afternoon closed with a practical
talk by H. L. Bol1ey, North Dakota ex-
pertinent station, regarding Shrinking
Smut in Wheat" subject of the great
est interest to the convention.
At the evening session Prof. Ten Eyck
North Dakota College. spoke on Growth
and Development Of Root Plants," using
stereopticon views. and was followed by
w. M. Hays, Minnesota experimental
farm, who talked on Crop Improve
ments." He also illustrated his lecture
with stereopticon views. J. H. Reed,
Armenia, closed the evening exercises
wit toll -
Inc Thursday morning session of the
grain growers was one of the most inter-
esting of the series. In addition to the
questlon-box feature, several papers were
read, including one by Senator Hans
brough, another by M. p Moran, of the
National Farmers Cooperative Grain
Ed Childs, Of Crookston, MINI.
Owing to a desire Of the attendants to
PROFOUND questions and receive answers
the program for the afternoon was
changed, and instead of visiting the agri-
cultural college and other place, a meet
ing was held at the armory. and the
question box" feature carried out. Dur
Ing the night and morning queries poured
In upon the secretary, and by him they
were classified according to subjects and
assigned to the various professors most
qualified to give replies. In this way it
was made possible to reply to every query
and cover all topics in which the curious
were interested.
Some of the queries were of great i'm
portance, and some went to the very root
of matters agricultural, and while all the
queries and replies could not be given
some of the most important, and the re-
plies were as follows:
Is it wise to cross Durhams and short
horns? No.
Is it wise to manure in winter fields to
be planted with corn in the spring? Not
so with barley as crop.
In raising corn for fodder is it most
profitable in raising corn to cut and stow
away in barn? Would be better kept in
silO, but expensive.
Use bromus to improve meadow in light
soil.
Spells recommended as winter feed for
horses and sheep. Use without grinding
Spells is a Russian cereal, related to
wheat.
No particular benefit by rotating with
wheat, oats and barley. Flax was good
to precede wheat, but no reason could be
given explaining why fax had been sue
cessfully raised on same ground three
years successfully.
Does not pay to sow fax on virgin soil
preparatory to putting it into wheat
Thomas J. Harrison, from experience,
claimed it had paid him to SOW flax and
wheat together. Last year he had netted
$2373 per acre from A acres. Threshed it
Siberian millet is good feed for cattle,
though not so good for horses.
Fall blowing gives better results than
spring blowing.
To kill French weed plow thoroughly,
summer fallow. Plant to corn and cult
vate we'll. Sow wheat second year with
out plowing. Summer fallow again, and
grow second crop of corn. Same rules
will apply to wild oats.
At the conclusion of the afternoon ses-
sion another change of program was
voted and an evening session meeting
was decided upon. The convention is
here for information. and every moment
possible Is being utilized.
The evening session began by the read
ing of very brief paper by Louis Pond,
Churches Ferry, who gave some very in
teresting facts and figures gathered from
his own experience as breeder of live
stock. On his $50 acres he had 248 in pas
ture, 80 acres in wheat, 80 in oats, IS in
millet, 10 for garden and buildings, ~
in flax, three-fourths in potatoes, two in
trees. The yield of wheat on millet stub
BILE and fall blowing was 203 hard per
acre, on summer fallow, eight bushels per
acre. Oats yielded so bushels on fall
blowing, 80 on spring blowing. His other
crops and livestock were highly satisfac-
tory and it figured up that his income
from the $50 acres aggregated $2,453, or
about IS an acre.
The convention then resumed the ques-
ton box program. Among the conclu-
sions pronounced were: In planting po-
tatoes, cut lengthwise and plant with
skin down. Cut with two eyes to each
piece. Plant four to six inches deep in
rows Is inches apart One potato grower
said his crop averaged last year 200 BUSH
els per acre. selling at Is cents; estimated
profit, SIS per acre. For soil and climate
the early Ohio variety seemed best
suited.
Certain methods of spraying will par
TALLY kill weeds, said Prof. Bolley, speak
ing from experience. He used a solution
Of copper sulphate, one pound to four
gallons of water; would not recommend
this treatment yet as a positive certainty
Regarding smut Prof. Bolley said the
growth of the smut plant was dependent
upon the weather. Wet weather favored
smut growth. He claimed that his for
maldehyde treatment not only killed the
smut, but increased the yield. Lime solu-
tion, he said, was worthless for treating
wheat. Chloride of lime was also a fail
ure. Sow 2k pecks of flax per acre.
The morning session of the last day of
the convention was somewhat tame. The
greater share of work had been complet-
ed, and the principal papers read and adj
dresses delivered.
The first paper was "How to Maintain
Our Soil Fertility by Prof. H. E. Ladd,
Of the North Dakota experimental sta
ton
Mr.. Ladd's principal point and one
which was seized with avidity by the au-
dience, was need of education along pure
ly agricultural lines. His remarks
brought out an address from w. M.
Hays. of Hamline, indorsing the point
made, and appealing to the convention
to stand firm for education and for text
books calculated for agricultural pur-
poses. He advocated teaching along this
limo in all rural schOo1S