Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1901-02-08

"A oCluO 10 oAuO WOSNo sup
in and occupy the place thus left
vacant.
In growing fax for seed a liberal
amount Of branching is desirable
and seems to accompany a
tendency to yield a large quantity
of seed. Three pecks Of seed per
acre is an abundant supply in
growing it for the seed, and a less
quantity will do better than more.
I prefer to seed it with the drill
set at a. medium depth, i. e., two
to two and a half inches, depend
ing upon the amount Of moisture
in the soil. If the soil is dry and
the seed is planted too shallow it
will not come in'contact withAmois-
ture properly and the result is that
some of it will start growth at
once, while another portion will
wait until a shower renders it
moist, thus producing an uneven
growth, a chance for weeds and an
irregular ripening.
If the seed is put too deep dur
ing a wet spring there are two.
dangers; first, it may get into very
wet soil and rot, and second, the
presence of the water and the
greater depth may place it where
the soil is too cold for growth to
take place.
Flax is grown very commonly
upon freshly broken sod and pro-
duces a good crop under such con-
ditions and usually a clean one, I
have heard the charge made that
flax, grown in the above way,
leaves the sod tough and poorly
rotted for succeeding crops Of
small grain. I have heard but one
complaint, however, and that from.
a man who farms by pencil, while.
many speak we'll of the plan.
The time to cut flax for seed is
sometimes a pulling question. as
some Of the small hlna flowers will
be present in their best form when
it is advisable to harvest it. Some
of the earlier bolls will have passed
the right stage and may be losing
seed by Smelling, or in such condi-
ton that they will shatter out
badly in handling. It is a matter
which must be left largely to the
Judgment of the growers, as it
should be harvested when the
largest number of hollis are ready.
It can be cut with the old self-rake
reaper, or with a binder, allowing
the gavels to be cast out without
binding. It is usually threshed
from the gavel as seed usually
suffers little damage, except from
hail, when standing in the field.
DR.. Lugger, Of the' Minnesota
Station, made an interesting study
of a fax disease which he found
prevailing in portions Of Mime
sofa, a few years ago. The flax
upon "Aax sick land" would be
entirely normal and vigorous until
it was from two to ten inches high,
when patches, varying in size from
a few feet to several yards across.
would wilt, turn black and die.
So far as I have been able to
learn, no cases of it have occurred
in North Dakota and I have heard
of no serious outbreak of it in
Minnesota recently. DIR. Luggel
was able to produce the disease al
will by burying the straw of ole
affected plants in imitation Of
blowing and by making a tea-likt
decoction from the straw aanc
watering young fax plants with it
His study indicates plainly tha'
the danger lies in old straw, the
: destruction of which. previous tx
the growing of another crop O
flax, must remove the source of in.
!, lection. The old straw can be re
moved by burning or perhaps by
rotation of crops, which will ALLOW
the flax straw to form humus be
, fore flax is grown again upon tn,
same soil.
should prefer to have flax fol