Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-06-28

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range, and outlined what then
thought would be the Dakota sheep
farm Of the future, which was to be
farm of two sections. Today it is
the farm Of one section that / plan
for, and without any doubt a section
farm is now safe and more attrac-
tive proposition for the home-builder
than township to run over was
twenty years ago. In less than an
other generation, some one will be
talking to you or your children about
the quarter-section sheep farm; but
that will be after the passing of the
buffalo grass and the coming Of the
clover and alfalfa. The bronze grass
is already here. Il rs
With population more than
doubled, and increasing by bounds
| it Is only natural that a section
should cost more to own now than
two sections did seven years ago. i
would personally prefer the two sec
ton farm, but would not now take
t up your time, if / did not think, that
with the aid of fences and sheep a
section OF ordinary prairie land would
support family in comfort. But to
do this here we have to cease trying
to initiate the stock men further
west, and altogether eliminate the
word rustic from our working vo-
cabulary. Rather, let us follow the
examples Of sheep-raising further east,
and provide fenced pastures for say,
seven months in the year, and be pre-
pared to feed and shelter, if necessary,
for five months.
| Now, let me sketch roughly this
section farm, and as it is always cas-
Ter to plan for the other fellow, I
shall lay it out as if for a PERSONA
friend. However, do not think that
the outline draw is hastily done, for
it is the result Of long observation,
and considerable experience, not only
with sheep, but also with fencing
! farming.
4 First: ! would arrange to put into
grain about $50 acres Of the best land,
paying particular attention to the sub.
soil. Almost all our upper soils are
good. 1t is the moisture retaining
qualities Of the sub-soil that we have
4 Z
4 to look out for. For cash crops, /
would depend on durum wheat and
flax. For horse feed, on speltz and
oats, and for extra sheep feed in
March and April I would grow oat and
rye hay. until later on, when the Intli-
an is taken out Of the ground and corn
can be successfully raised Another
quarter section ] would fence on three
sides with the ordinary cattle fence
4 of three barbed wires. AT first. j
4 would preserve this quarter for hay
4 but would pasture the few milk cows
there in summer, and allow the idle
work horses to run there in winter
4 during the day.
i The fourth side Of this field would
i be secured by the sheep fence, with
Il which I would enclose the remaining
i 800 acres The sheep and wolf proof
fence 7 would advise making thus
J! Stretch one barbed wire about two
inches from the ground. Two inches
above this wire stretch your rs or 2s
]. inch woven wire fence. Six inches
4 above the woven wire, stretch a sec
ond barbed wire. The narrow space
4 between the woven and the barbe6
wire prevents cattle pushing theil
heads in, to rub themselves on the
smooth wire. Ten inches above The
last wire. string the third barbe6
q wire. Set good posts every five rods
and light stake or post every rod
4 and you have durable fence that vii
D not only keep in sheep and cattle, bu
also keep out wolves and dogs. Tht
1 cost for material will be about $16 .Ot
per mile. A half section costing abou
$l.5O per acre, while a section woult
cost about $1.00 per acre. In this con
nection. il you are interested in vol
proof fences let me advise you ii
send to the U. s. department Of Agri
cultural for Bulletin No. 20 Of thu
Biological Survey, which treats Of Til
]. destruction Of wolves and OF fencins
against them. Also for Circular No
%, which gives away free to the peo
pie all the old wolfhunters secret.
for the poisoning, trapping, and hunt
ing OF wolves and coyotes.
i, a few Of these circulars can be l,ai
at the desk here, after the meetins
!, is over. Uncle Sam is the most gen
erous Uncle in all the world, and h.
and his assistants are anxious to he'll
US farmers in every problem which VI
come up against.
When 1t comes to stocking this
half-sectfon pasture, would sugges
beginning with 300 ewes, and in buy
Il M fara Il,