The Red Cloud chief., 1901-10-11
IMPORTANT FARM PROBLEMS.
with some Suggested solutions
From Prof. W. ". Hays.


| farm manager who Is supplied with do
| nestle animals or will work into stock
can introduce a system Of field manage
ment which will produce better crops
than can be produced In all-grain farm
ing. He will be able so to condense MS
products and increase the value OF his
crops that he can make his land earn
more income. and his labor and the labor
of his family be so utilized throughout
the year hat his profits will not be con-
sumed by heavy labor bills. Grain may
not soon reach high prices. but the time
of permanently depressed meat prices
probably passed away when consumption
of meats ovsrtook the sudden increase OF
production on the Western ranges. The
farmer who turns a large part Of his
crops into live stock products IL hence
forth pretty sure to win out. And 1t IL
very fortunate that we can produce sta
bic manure and otherwise use domestic
animals to ~fertilize the soil instead OF
purchasing commercial fertilizers.
PRACTICAL ROTATIONS-A practical
rotation for these western counties il
something as follows: First year. wheat;
second year. grass Tor the grass family
wheaD; third year. grass; fourth year,
grass Tor IL the grass Is not needed
grain); nth year. grain; sixth year. corn.
The wheat gives the grass a year I'm
which to start, the grass prepares the
land for grain; the grain stubbie furnish
es a good place upon which to spread ths
manure In winter for corn, thus prepar-
Ing the land for that crop. The corn In
turn prepares the land for wheat, giving
the manure a year to decompose so that
the wheat will not fall down. and also
| ..t,,.. IN - -
clover and grass among the crop OF
wheat. The circle is thus completed. and
the soil Is SO well prepared for each crop
by the previous crop that there Ia a good
yield every year. This rotation does not
ft all conditions, as II requires six fields
to carry II along properly. that there may
be produced the same number OF acres OF
each crop each year.
As regards their sequence and use in
rotation there are three classes of crops
grains. grasses and cultivated crops. in
GLIDING corn. Grains prepare the land
for grasses. Cultivated crops prepare
the land for grains and grasses. Tho
grasses, including the clovers. prepare
the soil for either grain or cultivated
crops. None of the small grains prepare
the soil for other small grains. and none
OF the grasses prepare the land for grass
es, though cultivated crops prepare the
land for cultivated crops.
PERFECT SYSTEM OF FIELD MAN
AGEMENT-Thc absent owner OF lands
used for wheat Is really In competition
with that great institution. the farm
family. which builds up a. home. and can
thrive with only a part of it's remunera-
ton in the form of cash. The home. tho
food raised on tho farm fha fraa ouy,,r-
ship. are valuable, and while measured by
a different standard than the investors
interest money. give the real farmer the
advantage. He can afford to own the land
at IA price beyond where rented lands, or
lands managed by n foreman. can pay
profits. Heretofore there was a profit to
the investor in the rise I'm value of tho
lands. Soon maximum values will have
been reached. and the investor can afford
to own lands only when he can find rent
ers or farm managers who will manage
them under a system of diversified farm
ing. and I'm a better manner than the aver
age yeoman.
A EDUCATED YEOMANRY NEEDED
All believe that It Is we'll for the nation
that our farms be owned by many small
holders who live on and farm the land.
This IL our most stable and virile class,
from which come most of those strong
characters which lead in our civilization.
AS a class. farm homemakers should bs
encouraged. built mp. their business made
more systematic and their homes moro
pleasurable. Minnesota has proven thai
farmers may successfully be educated in
an agricultural high school. and having
proven this the states and nation should
extend agricultural high school educa-
ton as city high school education has
been extended. Country life In Minnesota
would be as rapidly enriched by agricul-
tural high schools containing 1900 stu
dents as are our cities by the city high
schools with their 5000 students.
NEW CONDITIONS REQUIRE NEW
METHODS-As our Western lands grow
older. weedier. contain less of humus, and
get I'm poorer mechanical condition, there
Is need OF more attention to keeping them
fertile, clean and In proper form. That
means that We must keep a proper pro-
portion of our acres In crops which are
to be used for live stock. In the rotation
mentioned above about two-thirds OF the
lands are devoted to live stock products.
ane one-third to grains which may be sold
OFF the farm. Upon starting into a new
farm the ann snOuld be to soon reduce the
marketable crops to a point below 80 per
cent. As a whole, Wegern Minnesota,
the writer believes, should soon devote
no more than one-third OF its area to
wheat. flax. oats and barley for sale.
Meats. dairy products, and even horses
are going to pay. Wheat and max win
pay far better on farms where live stock
farming keeps the fields enriched. Now.
when drouth has caused stockers In ba
cheap to the southwark. Ia the time when
the Northwest should secure a large num-
Der OF those grade beef. dairy and gem
eral-purpose heifers which are sure to be
sacrifced from the farms of drouth-
stricken Kansas and surrounding states.
when animals are low Is the profitable
time to stock up with females. and that
never was truer In Minnesota than now.
we have a fair amount of hay, fodder
corn and I%stover, and the straw is not only
over-abundant. but It IN unusually fres