The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1903-10-17
The Element Of Chance.

There is an element of chance in
every business pursuit, especially
in farming. The element of chance
in farming, however, can be con-
trolled to Il great extent. The far
mer's chief danger in North Dako-
ia is from drought, though hail
storms occasionally destroy his
crops and flax wilt or smut ravage
his cereals or disease Of one kind
or another afflict his live stock.
Hail storms, cannot, as yet be pre-
vented, but the other affections, to
Il great extent, can be avoided. 1t
is largely a matter Of education,
Agricultural colleges have solved
the mysteries of many cereal dis
cases and prescribes Of veterinary
has made it possible to cure or pre-
vent most diseases that atilict live
stock. The careful farmer needs
the advice Of scientific investiga-
tors and produces clean grain and
healthy stock. With him the elc-
ment OF chance cuts but little fig
urc. Forethought, industry and
good judgment forestalls bad luck,
and while his less prosperous neigh
bors m losing money Oh account
of animal and plant diseases, he is
prosperlng. No man has a right
to anticipate prosperity who does
not tax his mind as we'll as his
physical powers for the production
of wealth.
Drouth need not be greatly fear
ed in North Dakota. The way
many farmers cultivate their land,
however. is constant menace. In
Il country where the average annu-
al precipitation is over twenty in
ches, there should be no such thing
as general failure on account of
drouth. All that is required is to
save the surplus moisture when it
superintendent for the time when
the growing crop must have it or
perish. The time to save moisture
is when we have it. MIR. Campbell
estimates that after heavy rainfall
in summer, succeeded by a bright
hot day, over 500 barrels of water
will be'eyaporated in a day from a
single acre. Why this useless
waste Of moisture? Can it be pre-
vented? Yes. By cultivating the
surface to the depth of several in
ches. True, this cannot be done
so effectively in a field of wheat
or flax, but the time to do it is be-
fore it is seeded to wheat or flax
the year or two years before. A
field of corn cultivated regularly
and often and especially after every
considerable rainfall las soon as
the ground will not adhere to the
c%ultivator, will store up enough
rain water to insure a maximum
wheat crop the following year and
often show good effects upon crops
a year later. The same is true of
summer fallow, summer cultivated.
A proper rotation Of crops, with
abundant cultivation will eliminate
the bugbear Of drouth. But, says
one, 1T requires so much extra la
Dor, this abundant cultivationw
Yes, it does, and it pays to give it.
"There is no exce]lency without
great labor" remember. and who
would overcome a great evil must
assert himself accordingly. Easy
farming takes a desperate chance
and is accompanied by much "bad
luck"
10 farm successfully one must
understand the movement of moist
ure in the soil and how to control
it; the physical condition of the
soil best adapted to the growth of
plants and how to obtain it and the
kind Of cultivation the plant re-
quires and be willing to give it.
These processes are now taught in
schools especially adapted for
those who work with the soil, or
are given to the public in the form
of reports and bulletins from the
experiment stations. All a farmer
has to do is to study, observe and
exercise good judgment, and "bad
luck' will become but a reminder