davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-04-11

by the adoption of a system OF crop
rotation. The farmer is enabled
thereby to keep labor employed
throughout the entire year, thus
avoiding the necessity tor short
term service. Such a provision also
allows the farmer to keep his animals
employed throughout the year instead
of allowing them to stand idle a con-
siderable portion of the time.
Business of Farming Made steadier.
Finally the business of the farm
err requires a steady and regular IN
come in order that he may provide
for necessary tools, seeds and imple-
ments. and also that he may pay
wages when due. A steady and regu-
lar income allows him to do business
on a cash basis and thus to take adj
vantage of opportunities in buying.
He can by this means do business oD
a smaller capital than would be re-
ouired in the credit system. The
rules which lead to the adoption OF
the system of rotation under present
conditions are general and not hxed.
To grow such crops as pay the great
est returns per acre should be the
aim. and rotations should be SO modl-
fed that the less profitable crops
should contribute as much IS possl-
BILE to the development of the more
profitable. Whether a crop is orotitta-
BILE or not will depend upon the char
acter of the soil, climate, availability
of farm labor. location and markets.
F. S. JOHNSTON.
Agriculturist Texas Experiment Sta
ton, College Station, Texas.
The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-04-11
Inoculating Material for Leguminous
Crops,

The statements which
recently appeared in the public press
regarding the free and unlimited dis
tribution of ino~culating material for
leguminous crops is likely to cause
those who apply for these cultures
to be disappointed. We publication
of the results obtainesS with pure
cultures in inoculating Sguminous
plants has resulted in such a de-
mand for this material that the ia
%cilities of the Department have been
taxed to their utmost and for some
time it has been impossible to meet
the demand; in fact, the total quaint
ity which could be prepared this sea-
son was promised early in February.
The patent which the Department
holds upon the method of growing
and distributing these organisms
was taken out in such a way that no
n can maintain a monopoly of the
manufacture of such cultures and so
as to permit of its being taken up
and handled commercially. The
commercial product is being handled
quite generally by seedsmen. Upon
application the Department has fur
nished all necessary information to
the psychologists representing
properly equipped concerns, but It
cannot assume to make any state
ment which could in any way be re-
garded as a guarantee of the COM
mercial product; nor is it prepared
to indorse each and all of the some
what extravagant claims occasional
ly made for this discovery. Those
who desire to- consult the Depart-
ment's authorized statements should
refer to its own publications, the lat
est OF which is Farmers Bulletin No.
214.
The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-04-11
Pruning Grapevines.

The pruning of g~rape-vines con
sists in cutting back the right
amount of the current seasons
growth-the amount which expert
enc says a grape of a certain habit
of growth and certain amount of IN
d;y;d,o1 observation-disclosures to
nroperfy. The pruning of grapes is
= o;sxaAmatter when "-;1 habit of
growth IS Understood. We Pa
either to check or stimulate vigor, to
encourage fruit production or, on
the other hand, to discourage it
The Garden Magazine.
The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-04-11
ROTATION OF CROPS.
A Subject Every Farmer Should Consider Before Planting His Crops.

it has made a fair growth, are the
most common methods of green ma
nuring. The effects are often very
noticeable. By this method we large
ly increase the vegetable matter in
the soil, and this much improves the
physical condition of the soil.
l.. M. ODEN,
A.. & M. College, West Raleigh,
n. G..
The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-04-11
ADVANTAGES OF CROP ROTATION.
The Subject as Seen from a Texas
Standpoint.

Messrs. Editors:-In the practic-
ing of field agriculture, which would
normally include the raising of staple
crops, a system of rotation has been
found to yield the best results. The
practice called crop rotation has
been a matter of growth and de-
velopment due to circumstances and
was not in the beginning based un-
on scientific principles. 1t should
be stated here that by a rotation of
crops is meant the planting of diff
ferent crops on the same piece of
land in successive seasons. This
planting must involve a change in
regular order.
The Soils Fertility Fully Utilized.
The custom of growing different
crops in rotation, while largely a
matter of conditions, does possess
certain advantages. First, it pro-
longs the period of profitable cul-
ture. This is due to the fact that
plants vary largely in their feeding
canacities. Many plants feed in the
surface layers and therefore draw
their food almost wholly from that
L5ostiop Of the soil-other plants are
ternated give to the soil persia ar
comparative rest. 1t should also be
kept in mind that certain crops re-
quire more of some one particular
element in the soil than other crops.
When these two classes are in a rota-
ton the soil is given an opportunity
to rest. Again when the farm is
producing but one crop a year, the
soil is left bare at certain seasons,
while the Growth of a variety of
crops permits of a continuous cover
ing and a constant use. Practically
speaking there is no soil which is not
improved by cropping. In the Ian
guage of Jethro Tull, "tillage is
manure"
The continuous growth of one
CROP renders it more liable to insect
attack and to the development of
diseases called rot and blight. 1t is
a well known fact that crops lose
vigor by being grown year after year,
and are therefore less able to with
stand insect ravages. A change is
also valuable because it deprives any
particular insect pest of its food and
is therefore likely to cause it to dis
| appear.
Unite Fertility of Soil and Air.
The majority of our farm crops
get their food entirely from the soil
and in many cases these crops are
grown for their grain. In such cases
the nitrogen, potassium and phos-
phorus are being disposed of con-
stantly by selling the seeds of the
plants grown. On the other hand,
leguminous plants, such as peas.
beans, alfalfa, ETC., get most of their
nitrogen from the air. It will be
noted then that the removal of such
crops from the soil does not de-
crease it's supply of nitrogen, there
fore, a rotation including some one
of the legumes such as alfalfa, COW,
peas or beans, lessons the necessity
of supplying nitrogen to the soil.
Crop Rotations Distribute Labor.
The problem of efficient labor on
the farm is also made more simple
The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-04-11

of crops besides tillage and the use
of fertilizers; and n of the o
important of these methods Is crop
rotation, or the growing of differ
emit kinds of plants on the same land
from year to year instead of taking
the same kind of crop continually
from the same land. Experiments
of many generations of farmers have
taught that some kinds of plants can
not well be grown continuously on
the same land, and that some crops
will not grow well after others, and
that some kind of plants actually
grow better Immediately after the
land has been occupied by certain
other kinds. For example, red Glove
ceases to thrive after wheat; also
wheat seldom does well when sown
after barley.
. All plants remove from the land
more or less of the fertilizing mat
ters when carried off from the land.
But all plants do not carry off the
same kind of fertilizers, nor do they
carry off the same amounts. All
plants do not draw equally upon the
fertilizing INGREDIENTS of the soil.
For instance, one crop may consume
a large amount of nitrogen, another
may exhaust the soil in phosLhoric
acid, while still another NAV require
potash. However, all plants require
some of these three ingredients, but
In different proportions. "Root
crops" for example-such as pota-
toes, beets, turnips, etc.,-need a lib
nro1 amount Af ~nAael 81 49,
phoric acid. Forage plants-corn
for instance-needs nitrogen to pro-
duce the leaves and stems, while
cotton requires a small amount of
nitrogen and potash, but a nperal
supply of phosphoric acid which goes
to form sAed and lint. Hence it is
Obvious NAT some plan of rotation
should be adopted in order to prevent
the land becoming deficient in some
one or more of these essential ele-
ments.
The following rules for rotation
may be of advantage:
Such plants as tend particularly
to exhaust the soil, like grain crops,
should only be sown on fertile land,
and they should not succeed one an
other, but may best be followed by
plants that are less exhausting.
On heavily MANFRED fields, such
crops should be planted as can bear
the most fresh manure, while less
exhaustive plants may follow.
1t is generally advantageous to al
ternate crops that have top roots
, with those that have Spreading roots.
No two crops favorable to the
growth of insects and fungi should
!. be permitted to succeed each
other. 1t is very essential in
many cases tt change the crops fire.
quently to hinder the increase of
these pests. There are various in
sects injurious to grain which would
increase to an alarming extent if the
land were devoted exclusive to grain
croGs year after year. But when a
crop of beans or turniDs follow a
grain O the whole tribe of grain
insects may perish or disappear from
the field. The clump-foot, or as. is
sometimes commonly known, the "big
root" in cabbage and collards, in like
manner prevent their continual cult
walton on the same land. Farmers
and market gardeners in vicinities
near cities would be glad to grow
cabbage year after year upon the
same land. but they cannot because
of this disease.
One form of rotation of crops
The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-04-11
THOUGHTS FOR FARMERS.
THE Leaks That Count.

THE Leaks That Count.
A farmer of the Piedmont country
carried about 40 chickens and tur-
KEYS through the winter. 1t he Sc
cured from that number 90 pounds
of manure it was not visible. Inc
manure from that number OF hens
should be worth $1,000 a year. lie
carried five or six cattle through the
year. He did not have two LOADS OF
manure to show. He lost SzO!oo
there. He bought two tons OF guano
for $4,000. He applied that to poor
" prepared land and the grass IN the
first two weeks of June used up halt
the Giant food. There he lost S22.OO.
| That is. a small two-horse farmer,
through c~arelessness and l%azlness,
| lost $500. besides the loss in con
sequence of a poorly cultivated crop.
There are hundreds of farmers in
the land that lose by one or the other
of these leaks.
Some Other Farm Leaks.
A dozen or more men with faml-
lies have said to the writer that the
would not plant Irish potatoes. -IP
had no luck with them and they did
not care Cor them any way after the
first mess or two. The man who de-
ponds on luck in farming ought to
hire out to some good white man for
wages> He is not qualified to con-
duct alarm. There is no luck even
in this sction of the country in rails
ing the White potatoes as they are
called up N>rth. Good soil, we'll pre-
| pared and hstilized, and cultivated
rapidly will lh2re a fair crop, pro-
| vided the bugs As kept off by Paris
Green. 1t is saidAat if the potato
patch is covered VIII pine needles
the bugs will not trouh them. Even
green pine tops place69round the
| Giants will keep them oK>ccording
20 reports. There is no tSNble in ,
raising sweet potatoes. ThSSSring
a dollar a bushel now, and NeNxop
| j; profitable at 35 cents if sol ffAu
he field. Some people whqlp not
{epend on luck always keep PtatOes
nt5 planting time. What de man
does>sany other man can q if he
Nets in the Open Furrowt
Many Y the oats sown Hoadcast
last ian We killed. Some swn with
a a, wheat otll were much injured.
ihose soW1Awith the oat dill came
through a t%h9ksevere winter in fine
style: The HFmers trying hat plan
say that they Will never sow another
bushel broadcAt in the fall, This
plan enables TIM TO sow the heavy,
productive variAes, which are al
ways better ths1f the late kinds that
MAKE much straS Aand light grain. In
sowing s1na1 a the most work
the land. Aft It'll hroken with a
two-horse or q poland well har-
rowed, 1t IS a easy Natter for a
hand to put o to tn and a half
acres a day. he Hays offsNistributes
the fertilizer, kpldnts the Nats and
covers them al tine same run with a
5-inch shovel, the lrows will bAabout
Is inches apart \ smaller p%loSSIwiIi
not leave the OPEN furrow deep
enough.
cultivatihg small GRAIN
Farmers who have narrowed wheat
and oats Mareh25 IL April 30, clam
that the We'd ;.Tonehflv increased. II
The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-04-11

Never think his delay$ are dehl"i''
John Mason.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-09
KENzNARE, NORTH DAKO7H

new line Of the 500 railroad thru ths north hsls
Nina. to kenmare, n. D., its western terminus
seay point ON the Rir t1S for use
under Constitution When the line is Completed,
Kenmnre will be q very desirable place as a
facilitate the shipping Of coal to points in North
Dakota and Minnesota.
The city Of Kenmare is six years old and
has population Of 1900 people, and has a
ing 500 O00 with steam heat an electric lights;
six churches. ten fraternal or secret orders, and
an electric lighting. telephone and water system.
stocks from ss,oeS to $40, 900; Two hardware and
furniture stores four drug stores four ply
ard one dentist; four imDlement. dealers. three
blacksmith shops. two roller mills. one with q
barrels per day; six elevators. three lumber
yards, two newspapers and an operahouse with
seating capacity of 900. seven lawyers.
To the real estate men Of Kenmare is largely
city and country; as a result Of their work. the
land has been quickly taken up until now the
land is nearly all under cultivation. The farms
are well stocked and good substantial buildings
one passing thru could scarcely realize that
the country had been farmed but six years.
AS evidence of the alertness OF our citizens
and the interest they take in the general welfare
livery routes and two star routes leaving Ken
mare daily. There is on foot a movement to
organize farmers elevator company, and an
elevator will be erected in time to handle the
raw ma terial consisting Of gravel deposits, and
an, excellent quality Of brick and pottery, clay
is receiving the careful attention of our bust:
ness men and every inducement will be offered
a cheap building material.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-09
COUNTY DIVISION MEETING
Taxpayers of Ward Find It Difficult tt
Get Together.

MINOT. N. D.-Taxrayers from all parts of
the county met last night Tor the purpose of
discussing, and, If possible, to arrive at some
conclusion on definite lines for dividing the
to be In favor Of division of some kind or an
other. providing. however. that. county seat
was to be established in their communities.
county to stand as it is and this is probably
what it will do for some time to come, as
there is absolutely no hope Of getting the Diff
ferent localities together on any feasible propo-
sition.
staff officially visited the local commandery
Knights Templar, and duly installed its onti-
GERS. The new commandery is known as the
De Molly, No. 10, having taken the name OF the
last grand master of the Ancient Templars. The
sir knights. and their ladies. repaired to the
The North Dakota State Racing association
will hold a meeting in this city June II, Is and
49, This will be the first race meet ever held
in this county.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-09
advantages offered
- ..s- r-N ~ .1g-. ..,-t x. -.
By Barnes County.
Special Correspondence.

Special Correspondence.
Valley City, N. D., Feb. 9-The new
conner who is looking for $40 an acre
land must 60 further west or north,
for there is none to be had in Barnes
county. Improved. land here sells for
from 500 ito $40 an acre, and unim-
proved is. held at from $15 to $25.
There are good reasons for these condi-
tions and prices. FL
Compared. with the state generally,
Barnes county is an old settled. commu-
nifty and its farmers have every advan-
tage that is possessed by the residents
Of the most densely settled sections Of
the central states. The roads are graded
and are almost uniformly good at all
seasons Of the year. There are churches
Of all the leading denominations and
no community is without its school.
There are ninety-one school districts
two or more schools, and the educa-
tional facilities are better than in the
average community There are rural
mail routes and rural telephone lines.
Radiating from the county seat, Val
ley City, there are five rural mail routes,
and Oriska, Sanborn and Litchville
thriving and prosperous towns Of the
smaller class, each have two routes
Other routes in other sections Of the
county nave Deen appued Tor, and 1t
will not be long until practically every
county will have his mail delivered at
his door. There are rural telephone
lines all over the county. The. Valley
City exchange has nearly 40 farmers
on its rural list: The Litchville ex
change has about seventy five farmers
on its list, and the exchanges at Oriska
Fingal and Wimbledon are all largely
patronized by farmers.
! With such advantages why should no
the Barnes county farmer ask what h
considers good price for his land.
And the farmers here are prosperou
to an unusual degree. They have mad
money raising wheat and fax and cat
| tie. There are more big white house
and big red barns to be seen in a twent,
mile drive thru Barnes county, thai
would be found in similar trip thr1
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-09

the average community in Iowa or LII.
nols, and nearly all have their shelter
grove Of cottonwoods or willows. iii
which small fruits and the harder va
rites of apples and plums thrive to per-
lection. Many Of the older settlers
have acquired a competence, and have
built residences for themselves in the
county seat or some of the nearby vii
lagos, and have turned the farms over
to the children.
The foundation upon which the pros
perity and success Of the farmers Of
Barnes county has been built is the soil.
There is none better or more productive
anywhere than is to be found within its
boundaries. Lying just outside the
sometimes troubled with too much
moisture in the spring, the rainfall is
more abundant than it is further west
and as a result there is no uncertainty
about the crops. Harvest is as certain
as seeding and there has never been a
crop failure in the history Of the county.
It is good county for wheat, fax, bar
ley, oats. rye and potatoes. Corn ma
lures when tits planted early, but
heretofore the majority Of the farmers
have been contented to raise it for a
fodder crop, planting it after all other
! crops were in the ground.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-09
Great Homeseekers Movemetfo North Dakota During 100
RANSOM COUNTY,
NORTH DAKOTA
The Great Faith Of It's People in It's
Future It's Farmers Refuse to
Sell Their Lands

Special Correspondence.
Lisbon, N. D., Feb. An converse.
tion with farmers and land owners in
Ransom county, I find there is an abid-
ing and increasing faith in the future
Of this section of North Dakota. Many
who two years ago were anxious to
sell their farms, have: now Withdrawn
them from the market and are not will
ing to set a price on them at all. Ma.
ture consideration of the. conditions ex
listing here and in: other parts Of the
United States has convinced them that
they can 60 nowhere and better thei1
conditions. No section of the United
States has had: better crops than Ran
very satisfactory, it has been proven
beyond a question that this section i,
we'll adapted to contrasting, and thai
it is excelled nowhere for the raising
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-09
A Beautiful Home and Money
Maker. for $500 per acre.

$40 ACRES-l60 acres under cultivation, 400
acres fenced for pasture; splendid timber, the
best Of shelter, good water. Superb buildings
and everything that goes to make an ideal dairy
farm; half mile to elevators, 2h miles to VAL
ley City the srandest educational city in the
state; 200 cash, easy terms on balance at
mar cant.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-09
Correspondence Of Tho Journal.

Darlington, N. D., Feb. Gearing
ton, in the upper valley Of the James
river, and the county seat Of Foster
county, is one of the best business
points in all the vast region between the
Red river valley on the east and the
Missouri river on the west.
The citizens are enterprising and each
year, the place makes a series of per-
manent improvements, and becomes
more and more desirable for residence.
Darlington is a railroad center Of some
magnitude and the train service be-
tween it and the twin cities is first
class. It has passed the first stage of
pioneer life, and is building commo.
dious blocks and comfortable, roomy
| homes.
A few years Of cultivation and i'm
provement have changed the rolling
| prairie Of this section into highly pro
ductive farms. Growing Of the staple
cereals is the common pursuit, but diver
| sified farming and stock raising have
their devotees, and are followed with
the greatest success. There are NJ
stumps, no stones, and no swamps tx
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-09

Of cattle, hogs, sheep and dairy prod
ucts.
Real estate men tell me that it is diff
fcult to get farmer to list his land
most healthy signs Of the times as re-
lated to this part Of the country, and it
is one which appeals to the land seekers
from the east. In former years when
they came here they found almost every
farm for sale, and they at once said
something wrong with the country.
Now, when they come, they find the
farmers all satisfied and nobody wish
ing to sell.
After looking the situation over thor.
oily, 1 have become convinced that nc
section of the west offers better place
for investment, where values are fixed
public improvements made, and where
the price of land is bound to advance
rapidly within the coming five years.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-09
Special Correspondence.

known to the people of the northwest than Ken
mare, Ward county, n. D. 1t is situated in
the most fertile agricultural district of the
state, also in the center Of the famous DesLacs
valley coal region.
The development Of the city is largely due to
the fact that it is naturally located to com
mand the trade OF large territory that has
been unuarallelel in its productveness, farmed by
class of Intelligent and thrifty farmers.
The citizens and business men Of Kenmare
Of people always working in ha rmony to further
any enterprise or project. tending to promote
the interest Of Kenmare and the surrounding
country.
The survey has been completed and the right
ofway determined upon for the construction OF
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-09
C0,rJMgton and. It's Country.

contend with here-just smooth, rich,
upland prairie. The soil Of the James
river valley is unsurpassed for general
farming purposes. Foster county is.
one Of the best in the valley and its
lands are within the reach of every will
ing worker.
The common school system of the
county is well developed and churcn
privileges are abreast Of those found i'm,
many parts Of the long-settled east.
the homeseeker and the investor can
find no safer or more promising field.
Darlington and Foster county will bear
the fullest and freest investigation.