Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-02-22

the part of weed d~estroyers; second,
they bring fertility to the land; third,
they may be made to regulate the
growth of the crops; and fourth, they
are a source of profit far above the
outlay involved in keeping them.
1.-The service that sheep may be
made to render as weed destroyers is
beyond all estimate when taken COL
lectively. The average sheep for such
a use will in many instances Guido
the average boy. The boy will grum-
BILE if set to work pulling weeds. The
sheep will mott only do the work I'M
complainingly but it will do it eagerly
and effectively if only given the OPP
portunity. 1t puts weeds tt the best
use that was ever made of them since
the world began, for it turns them
first into mutton of the first order, and
it turns them second into fertilizers
equal, Or nearly so, to the best that
can be made or purchased"
GRAIN AND STOCK.
Few men in the state are more able
to discuss matters of interest to farm
ers than Superintendent McKissick, of
the Grandin farms near Mayville. Be-
fore the convention he said in part:
1.-The history of the development o.
agriculture in this country shows that
no fact is better recognized by the
thoughtful person than the need of di-
versifying u staple agricultural pro-
ducts.
"This is important for a three-fold
reason, namely: The remedying CT
the present unequal ap]portionment of
standard crops. The introduction of
new kinds and most important of all
protection against the hardships that
come to the single crop farmer during
years of adversely, when The a1ying
market values of stanard products fire.
quently fall so low as to ruin the pro-
duceIL 70 neutralize the disastrous
effects of such years it is well to be
prepared with a diversity of crops, so
if the season is unfavorable to one,
or the price is low, the others may be
depended upon to make good the loss.
1T is fortunate that this is not a one
crop country and that it depends upon
no single product for its prosperity.
Experiment has demonstrated beyond
controversy that our fertile soil and
genial climate is well adapted to the
growth of the wide range of cereals,
plants and grasses, and the abundant
production of any vegetable common to
our nothern latitude. Situated as we
are within easy access of our great
railways and waterways through the
world, with general conditions of
lcountry, soil and climate most ia
vorable for production our natural
advantages for agriculture and COM
merce are unparalleled. There is ev-
cry encouragement to the agriculture
alist and inducement to perseyere, and
here, if anywhere, it is possible to at
tain the highest success in his chosen
calling.
"Americans are the greatest farmers
in the world and their greatest source
of production is in the diversity Of
their crops. 1t is said that about 10
per cent of the people of this country
are farmers, and even in the poorest
years we produce, as a whole, enough
to supply all home demands, while
our exports of agricultural products
amount to a billion dollars.
"Statistics show that we number less
than 5 per cent of the worlds popula-
ton, yet we produce IS per cent of the
corn, 80 per cent of the wheat, 26
per cent of the oats, 2G per cent of the
hay. SO per cent of the meat, p per
cent of the butter and cheese, II per
cent of the wool, SO per cent of the
eggs, Is per cent of the cotton, etc., so
OF the worlds total agricultural pro-
duct we raise nearly, if not quite, SO
per cent. While reverses of the past
season or two are causing hardships
and loss in limited localities the
farmers as a whole are in a prosperous
condition., finding ready markets for
their products at unusually good
prices. But while it is true that the
farmers of this favored country are
as a class thrifty and prosperous, the
possessors of broad acres and good