Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1908-03-05
PRESERVING FERTILITY.

covering the grain production of the
northwestern states, show an alarm
Ing condition existing in regard to
the acreage yield. For a number of
years. there has been an almost con-
stant falling off in the grain yields
In the older grain growing districts;
and by ''old grain growing dis
tricts," is meant those sections of
the country which have been titled
during the past twenty-five or thirty
years as compared with the newer
districts which have been titled only
a few years.
1.-The cause OF this falling off in the
average yield was conclusively shown
at the recent farmers institute held
In Grand Forks. The failure of the
farmers to properly fertilize the soil
was charged with being the direct
cause of the lower yields, and a de-
parture from the old methods of
farming was urged by the we'll in
formed farmers who were present.
Fertilization. they declared. is the
salvation Of the land and will cause
it : to continue Ito produce for
hundreds Of years If properly cared
for. ~~~
=.Agricultural...h has demon
strated--t this fact. The lands, OF
England and the continent of Europe
have been farmed.-. for. hundreds OF
years, and are even. now producing
grains at a larger acreage yield than
The rich farm lands of the Red
River Valley: And it is not because
the lands Of those countries are any
richer than those of..ss.. this country,
but Che farmers have learned by ex.
perience that the only successful way
Of farming there IS Co. use. fertilizers.
By..fertilization is not meant the EN-.
ployment Of commercial agencies
such as the farmers of the east have
resorted to. but rather the returning
Of the plant food to the earth by the
growing Of ssplants which. T.. through
themselves. return to the grounc
those foods which,. such grains as
wheat take from it,,
The farmers of the northwest
should not be criticised for working
the land as many Of them have done
Most of the early settlers in thi.
country we're without means. and tt
them the first few crops from tn.
land meant great things. Their new
homes must be established and every
dollar that it was possible t0 secure
was needed for this purpose. Tht
consequence was that the land wa
impoverished by the same crop!
which were put in from year to year
each of which took a certain percent
age of the earth's plant food with
out restoring any of it. The result
is that today many farms are in poo
condition and are giving only small
Yields. and it is for the farmer tt
seek to restore that land to the con
dition existing in the past as a pro
ducer OF grains. This is not true o
all farms. for there are today in tin
Red River Valley farms which hav
been properly conducted and whel
the plant foods of the soil have beel
conserved. which are producing eacl
year large and satisfactory yields.
The farmers of the state owe it t.
themselves to restore to the lam
that which thev have taken from it
'Thev owe it to the people of tn
world to keep the land in produc
tive condition SO that it may produc
from year to year that which tn
people of the world need as food
From the earth we get everything
and the farmer of today must mail
Itain the land he tills in all it's fel
tility so that future generations ma
realize from it as the present on
has. Forks Evening Times.
SCHOOL BUILDING
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