The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1905-11-22
SHAW ON WESTERN N. D.

Distinguished Professor Has Some.
thing to Say About That Section.
Prof. Thomas Shaw of Minnesota,
after trip to the Missouri slope side
of North Dakota in the interest OF the
Orange Judd Farmer, concludes among
other things:
Stock feeding should be quite practi-
cable where the products grown are
all fed on the farm. The cows kept
should be of the dual type, which
means that they should be MIXED, the
manufactured products sold and the
skim milk fed to swine. The grains
grown to provide such food would In
clude wheat, barley, speltz, oats, rye,
fax and corn.
Under these conditions macaroni
wheat would best answer the purpose,
because OF it's hardihood and the large
Yields obtained. Such wheat and oats
grown together, including also flax,
would furnish excellent food for COWS
or other stock, and without other prep
aration than simply grinding it. These
would be sown together, and in those
proportions which experience showed
to give the best results. The chief ad-
vantage from growing such foods thus
is found in the larger yields produced.
OF course where fax is grown alone 1t
would be in order to sell the crop, as
under normal con ditions good crops OF
this cereal can be grown.
The temptation to sell macaronl
wheat may in some seasons be strong
ly present, because of the good prices
paid. Under these conditions it would
be in order to sell when the crop could
be spared, bur n many seasons 1t will
be found that this crop will bring larg-
er returns when turned into wheat or
dairy products.
Speltz is fine crop to grow in west
ern North Dakota, first on account OF
its hardihood, and second because OF
the large yields obtained While not
a good food for feeding alone, 1t is ex-
cellent when fed as part of ration.
Winter rye, because Of its hardwood,
is good crop to grow for pasture and
also for grain. When grazed down, it
could be followed by crop Of rape to
provide pasture, providing the ground
contained enough moisture for sue
cessfully terminating the rape.
In such farming corn may form an
important factor. 1t must not be grown,
however, as it is grown in the corn
belt. Usually it should be grown in
rows, and these should be close or less
close according as the corn was small
or larger. The rows may in some in
stances be as close as three feet, and
seldom If ever more than three and
half feet distant. The varieties grown
must, of course, be hardy and mature
quickly.
Sheep kept on the farm or bought
from Western ranges could be fattened
on such corn without involving the la
Dor of harvesting. If the sheep had &C
cess to a field of rape, at the same time
or previously the fattening would be
more complete. But care must be tax
en- in turning them in on such grazing
lest they overeat and thus derange di-
gestion This applies to both corn and
rape, if necessary, of course, portion
of the ears could be harvested before
the grazing begins, for winter feelings,
where this might be deemed necessary.
Swine could be fattened on such corn
in the field or on Canada field peas.
This crop should usually succeed at
least reasonably well. ard it would fur
nish easy means of finishing pork with
out the necessity of expanding much
labor. Such grazing, however, would
involve the loss of the fodder, an item
tons are dry, in normal season.
Western North Dakota is also highly
adapted to the growing of potatoes.
The quality of the crop would be ex-
ceptionally high, and it is almost cGr-
tain that it would be immune from the
rot. The extent to which potatoes
should be grown for shipment would
depend largely upon the price and
freight rates.
For grazing with sheep or swine at
maturity, the small varieties, as squaw
corn, for instance, will be the best,
and when grown for cattle the bulki-
est varieties which will reach matur-
ity are probably the best. The amount
Of food that may thus be grown almost
any season Is quite large. 1t should
not be less than three or four tons
cured in a normal season.
I see no reason why the smaller
squaw corn could not be utilized with
much advantage in fattening sheep In