Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-12-26
WORK OF COLLEGE SURVEY
Continued from First Page.)

is necessary often to carry the investi
cation far back into the records and
processes of formation of the solid
rocks Of the earth, and the structure
of these in the strata Of the crust OF
the earth. The determination for ex.
ample of the possibility of obtaining
artesian water requires a careful and
diligent inquiry into the historic geo.
logy of the deep underlying formations
of the earth, and the processes and
changes by which these formations
came to be.
The study of soils requires not only
the examination and analysis of sam
pies Of soil in the field but also the
origin and mode of formation of soils
from the original rocks, the source
from which they have been derived
and the process. by which they have
been formed.
The problem Of drainage is one not
merely of ditching and disposing of
excess waters. The present drainage
conditions, which have so much TO do
with the agricultural values Of lands,
have come about as q result OF long
continued processes Of change, and
the long continued action OF many
forces. The whole vast problem or
glaciation, one Of the most profound
and complex in ali geology, Is involved
in the explanation Of the soils an6
drainage OF one single acre 81 land.
What best to attempt to raise, how
to obtain the purest water supply and
the necessary amount, how most sue
cessfully and economically to drain
the land, what methods of cultivation
will be most successful, are questions
that often find their true and ultimate
solution and answer in geological in
vestigations that to the unthinklng
mind have no practical value what
ever, and hence are sometimes criti-
cised by such persons as useless ex-
penditures of time and money.
What is this all for?" What does
the government care about how deep
our well is, or what kind of rock was
passed through in digging it," are
questions that are asked over and over
again by blank-faced tillers of the soil
.of those who are conducting investi-
cations of the character contemplated
by such a geological survey as that
which has been undertaken by the
agricultural college survey by direc-
ton of the lawmakers of the state.
Many times those same farmers who
criticise the state or the federal gov
eminent for wasting money sending
men around to find out how deep the
wells are, and whether there is clay,
sand or gravel farms, wasting time
and energy trying to get water for
domestic purposes where none can be
obtained Gas little simple geology
would show, trying to raise grain on
alkali land that could only be made
productive by skillful management in
cultivation and drainage, trying to
raise wheat on land that does not con.
tain the necessary mineral elements
for wheat growth, or which contains
them but in such condition that they
cannot be utilized by the growing
plant because of some condition that
the unsuspecting farmer has not
thought of.
What can AID VIA; canl ct be done
successfully are matters of quite az
much importance for the farmer to
know often as it is necessary for him
to toll by the sweat Of his brow. "Thts
kind can only be cast out by prayer
and fasting was once said by the
great teacher. So some dihicult prob
lens in agriculture can only be solved
by long and diligent study Of causes
and conditions which to the unthink.
ing multitude seen far removed from
! the tasks Of every day farming.
The agricultural college survey is
attempting to solve some Of the many
problems that confront the farmer in
North Dakota. The second biennial
report shows what Investigations
have been undertaken during the past
two years. Some Of these will seem to
many to be remote from the "bread
and butter question" of practical agri.
culture. To such it can only be said
''God helps those who help them
selves" Those who see In the soil
of the farm something more than dirt
in the we'll something more than
water; in the river something more
than stream; in drainage something
more than ditch; in seed sowing
something more than throwing grain
upon the ground; in short, those who
60 back of effects to seek out causes
will, it is hoped, beable to gathe,
some grains of knowledge from the
published work of the survey that viii
help in the great task Of making th4
earth yield up her treasure, and il
bringing to the husbandman his in