The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-01-31

was unfortunately applied to all Sec
tons Of the state. AS q result, con-
tinuous cropping has not only depict
ed the plant food, but has drawn ex-
haustively on the stores of humus
and injured the mechanical condition
of the soil. Now the loss Of plant
food is something that must 20 on II
crops are to be raised. Most of the
plant foods, such as lime, potash and
phosphOrOus, can be supplied without
much trouble. II the humus becomes
much decreased, not only a source of
some of the plant f0Od-the source of
nitrOgen-becomes exhausted, but the
physical condition of the soil is much
mOdified-and that for the worse. The
water-holding capacity of the soil is
much decreased. This new soil in
Minnesota contained three and three
quarters per cent of humus and the
amount of water held per foot-acre by
that soil amounted to 265 tons. Soil
that had been cultivated twenty-five
years contained two and one-half per
cent humus and the amount, of water
held per fOOt-acre amounted to 100
tons. II the humus is lost the physi-
cal texture of the soil is injured.
Humus in a soil makes 1t frtable and
mellow and it is more easily put in
good filth. Humus in sandy soil
binds and cements the soil particles
together and tends to prevent the
teaching away of plant food. In clay
soils, the presence of humus renders
the soil more porous, thus allowing
rain to penetrate more easily. Humus
also allows the air to penetrate such
soils and the action of certain bene-
fetal bacteria Is undoubtedly aided
by the presence of air. Humus also
probably holds certain Salts. such as
phosphoric acid, in more available
form SO that they can be more readily
utilized by the plant.
From what has been said IT must
not be thought that the writer or any.
one is of the opinion that North Da-
kota is going to the dogs because
some of the humus has been wasted
There are millions of acres in this
state yet to be broken and there are
other millions of acres which are now
in high state of fertility 1t is
merely desired to have you note that
many farmers have sadly misused
their soils and scattered their primi-
tive wealth to the four winds, and
that the tendency of the majority of
farmers in this state today is rather
on the side of such wasteful methods.
Extensive farming clearly means
dissipation of humus and plant fools
without a corresponding return Of
them to the soil. The point is, will
our soil stand for It?
1t is certain that the ideal methods
for this state would be probable
f0f1nroa fnr tho OF
We need never expect to carry in
tensive farming to such a pitch as
in the east where good money can be
made on fifteen acre farm. All
that can be desired is to put into
practice intensive methods - for
North Dakota. 1t may be that quar-
practical minimum size for the
practical minimum size TO rthe
North Dakota farm, but whatever the
size of the farm, the methods of farm
ing must be such. If this state Is to
continue a wealth producer, that no
diminution of soil fertility shall take
place after series of years of crop
ping. 1t is no exaggeration to say
that upon this proposition is based
the future wealth, not only of this
state, but of our country.
Intensive W.. Extensive Methods.
In order to bring about this much
desired result it will be necessary
to work out proper method of ro-
Htation, method of rotation that will
produce the maximum amount of
money crops" with the minimum
loss of soil fertility, rotation that
will conserve all possible soil mois-
ture-a rotation in short, that will
put the greatest amount of money in
mans pocket for long period of
years.
1t is no easy task to formulate
such rotation: It is two-sided
problem. There are few basic prin-
ciples underlying the rotation which,
when found out, can be applied sue
cessfully to every dry-iand farm III
North Dakota. The farmers can dis
cover these principles, but it will take
them 100 years to do SO. The expert
ment stations will discover them in
ten years If they set themselves to
work upon the subject.
That is the general side of the prob
elm. There Is also local and equal
ly important phase Every farmer may
embody the general principles in
working out his own rotation, but
there are certain conditions on each
farm which must be individually met.
We begin to see dimly a few of
the general principles. They are tell
ing us to grow corn; If we wish to
raise wheat, we must grow corn. l
think some of the farmers have done
as much as the scientist in demon
strating this and the scientist can
not tell US why we shouldsgrow corn
In order to grow wheat The chemist
tells us that corn makes a greater
draft upon the soil. of nitrogen, pot
ash and phosphoric acid than does
either wheat or oats. But when it
comes to raising crop of small grain
after corn, we find that corn has
been easy" on the land.
But growing corn for wheat is only
one principle. Others must be dis
covered and they must be hitched
or fitted together into working
whole.
The Importance Of raising stock on
q dry-land farm cah not be dwelt
upon here. To discuss, as the sub
ject warrants, would carry us far be-
yond the limits of this paper. This
much may be said: The more adj
vanced farmers-those that have
some Of the prophet In their makeup
have come to the conclusion that
continued. successful dry-land farm
ing can be carried on only In con-
junction with the raising of a certain
amount Of stock. There are well-de-
fined reasons for this which cannot
be developed for lack Of time. It may
be said, however, that the subject
harks directly back to the ihumus ue.D
suly Of the soil, which was emphasized I.