The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-24
Northwest News
.IMPARTS WISDOM
ON AGRICULTURE
Government Scientific Agent
Studies Marshall County
Conditions
Globe Special Washington Service
1417 r Co.,


WASHINGTON, March 23.-The re-
suits of a scientific study of farming
conditions in Marshall county. Mime
sofa, are soon to be published by the
agricultural department. Besides a lot
OF descriptive matter, a map will be
published. This is called a soil man.
and may be useful to scientists. but
viii probably cause no great excite
ment among the thrifty farmers of
be published illustrating a great MANY
different localities in the United States.
including two or three counties in
North and South Dakota.
The so-called soil survey of Marshall
county was made by Henry ]. Wilder.
He says that the farming methods of
the people in Marshall county ARE still
crude" and that too much confidence
Is placed in a favorable season and too
little in intelligent cultivation methods.
The general principle" he says.
seems to be to give the land as little
preparation as possible and hope that a
favorable season and the natural pro-
ductiveness of the soil will overcome
this lack OF cultivation and insure a
good crop"
Mr.. Wilder also remarks that only a
small proportion of the soil in Marshall
county is properly fitted for planting.
Every possible precaution should be
taken, he declares, TO conserve the
moisture OF the soil. so that failure of
crops from drought may not result.
The way TO be on the safe side. he saws.
is to piow deeply. The more successful
farmers of the county have come to
realize this, and are raising twice as
much wheat on given area of ground
as they did twenty years ago.
1t disturbed the Investigator some
what to find that many wasteful
practices exist among the farmers of
this country. They leave their reap
ers without shelter all winter he SAYS
This is not economy. and Mr. Wilder
cites the practice as one which would
account for the lack of thrift among
a part of the population.
Too Much Cropping
The soil has suffered. he finds,
through overcropping. Wheat has been
found not to pay in some localities, on
account of the low price i'm some years,
and corn is being raised more extern
sively than formerly. Flax is an inn
portant crop. but is exhaustive in it's
effects upon the SOIL
"a regular rotation of crops" says
Mr.. Wilder, lis practiced by the most
careful farmers. but too frequently no
system is followed and crops are plant
ed in any sequence that seems con-
venient. One of the most common ro-
tations at the present time is wheat,
followed by corn, oats, barley and fax.
Those who still raise a large proper
ton of wheat break the continuity by
an occasional shift with corn and oats
More careful attention to the method
Of crop rotation and to the system of
cultivation is earnestly recommended"
Mr.. Wilder says that from 80 to 80
per cent of the farms of the county are
titled by the owners. but probably rs
per cent of this number are subject to
mortgage to secure loans on the real
estate, and a large proportion of the
remaining 25 per cent are mortgaged
to the amount of one-fourth- their value
to procure improved farm equipment
The farmers of more limited means
usually hold a deed to at least one-half
of their land which is subject to mort
gage, and have a contract for a deed
TO the other half of their holdings.
The usual method OF renting land
the investigator says, is by the share
system, by which the land owner gets
one-third of all the crops delivered
free, but pays the cost OF threshing his
share. Rarely the owner furnishes the
seed and receives one-half the crop.
The payment of stated cash rental
is less common, but seems TO be grow
ing in favor" In such cases the rent
paid ranges from s1.25 to SO per acre.
Walter Z. Clark.