The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1903-02-25
| WORN J
ANNUAL REPORT OF EXPERIMENT
STATION FILED WITH THE
GOVERNOR.
atsul1s WERE INSTRUCTIVE
WORK ACCOMPLISHED THE PAST
WORK ACCOMPLISHED THE PAST
YEAR AND PLANS FOR THE
FUTURE.
DEVOTED TO CROP ROTATION

ULvUlLU ~ CKUT U1AilUn
GRAIN DISEASE AND PREVENTION
WILL BE MATTERS OF Elk.
PERTINENT.
The annual report of the state expert
ment station to the governor has been
filed. In his report to the board OF
trustees, President Worst says:
During the past year the weather
conditions have been favorable for e,,'
perimentation and the results of ex.
periments made and other investiga,
tons, as outlined in this report by the
heads of the several departments, con.
tain much that is interesting and in
structive. AS during former years the
experiments have been largely devoted
to crop rotation, seed breeding and
seed selection, methods of cultivation,
conservation of moisture and the cul.
tivation of fruits, berries and Segeta-
bles. Planting trees for shelter belts
and to produce forest conditions and
growing hedges for shelter and for or
namental purposes have received con-
siderable attention. The results have
been very gratifying. Analysis of foods
has largely engaged the attention Of
The department of chemistry.
''The following bulletins we're pub
lished during the year:
ONO E1-Corr C,,1%,ro
mo. 52-The Length of the Growing
Season in North Dakota.
"No. 53-Food Products and Thei,
Adulteration.
mo. 54-Flax and Flaxseed Selec,
ton.
"The work planned for the coming
year will not differ materially from
that of former years, except that more
attention will be given to stock feed
ing and diseases of grain with view
to their eradication-especially flax
wilt.
'Since the twelfth annual reporl
was published farmers substitutes were
held at Oberon, Darlington, Coopers-
town, Wimbledon. Fingal, La Moure,
Tower City, Hillsboro, Sheldon, La
Moure, Glendale, Hankinson. Forman,
Fessenden. Denny jamestown,
Rolla, Cando, Towner, Leeds, Lakota
Grafton and Finley.
"These institutes were conducted by
T. "A. Hovarstad of the Minnesota sub.
experiment station at Crookston, as
sisted by M. F. Greeley, editor Of the
Dakota Farmer, published at Aberdeen,
S. D., and John Armstrong of De Smet,
S. D., and E. G. Scollander of the
North Dakota experiment station. At
several of the Institutes held during
the year members of the station staff
rendered assistance Mr.. Armstrong,
who was a valuable assistant, died
during the institute season.
"The demand for farmers institutes
continues and is far beyond the ability
of the institute board to fill with the
present meagre appropriation for that
year should be appropriated by the
Legislative assembly for farmers in
legislative assembly for faremsr' in.
stitutes, and a farmers club or agri-
cultural society should be organized in
every county with the assurance of
having an institute at least once year
at state expense.
A very strong sentiment is growing
up throughout the Red river valley in
favor Of diversified farming, and many
farmers who formerly devoted all their
energies and land to growing wheat
have already added live stock and
1airying to their farming operations
Another condition has lately devel.
oped. The immense area of the state
lying west of the Red river valley now
settled up by farmers presents many
new problems for investigation by the
experiment station staff. The soil
and agricultural conditions of this vast
territory, now occupied by small farm
holdings, differs radically from the soil
and the agricultural conditions of the
Red river valley, where the experiment
station is located, and line of exp6ri-
ments should be begun at the earliest
moment to meet these conditions I
would suggest that the ssub-experiment
station at Edgeley, La Moure county,
be fully equipped and extensively op-
Grated for this purpose. The range
country also requires attention. From
ovcrstocking and other causes the
grass is rapidly disappearing from
many ranges, and extensive expert
ments should be made with view OF
renewing the grasses or introducing
new varieties Of hardy grasses and
forage crops. ! would suggest that a
grass trial station be located in the
range country, where such experiments
may be conducted.
Improved strains Of thoroughbred
stock are also badly needed at the ex-
pertinent station for breeding purposes
and for giving instruction In the class
es in animal husbandry. An assistant
should also be employed in the depart
ment of dairying to enable that depart
ment to inspect the dairy herds Of the
state for the purpose Of assisting
dairymen to weed out Improbable
COWS and for substituting dairy stock
of proper type and quality to make
that industry more profitable.
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