Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1908-02-27
Is the Greatest
Problem

terest Shown. -Four Speak,
ers on Different Subjects
Good weather favored the holding
of the farmers institute in James,
town and at the opening session
fine attendance for the morning was
found in Orlady's hall. By noon
nearly every seat provided had been
filled and the morning session was
one of the most interesting and in
structive of any short sessions yet
held here by the institution corps.
The meeting was opened by Direc-
tor Hoverstad. He was followed by
Professor Thomas Shaw, for rmerly Of
the University of Minnesota, who
participated in the discussion, and
gave most interesting address on
the subject of saving and restoring
the fertility of the soil. Professor
O. o. Churchill of the Agricultural
College faculty and the institute
corps was also present, as we'll as
Professor c. B. Waldron, who was
sent as a special speaker by Presi-
dent Worst and who delivered short
but very interesting address ir the
half hour before noon, the subject Of
woodlots, trees and other kindred
topics along that line being taken
up.
The first part Of the Institute was
opened by Director Hoverstad on the
subject of soil fertilitv and an ami
mated discussion followed, quite a
number of farmers taking part in the
same, expressing their views as to
the. past and present causes for the
decline in the yield Of grain.
One farmer claimed that bis view
o.. the cause of less yield seemed to
be in diseases brought to the wheat
plano since. the earliest days of wheat
growing by the introduction Of so
many kinds of grain, and plants and
by the var eties of grass and new
grains introduced into the state.
Another farmer said that he had
been farming for rs years, that he
did not believe the weather was the
same or was proper for the best fill
ing Of grain as formerly. He thought
the cropping of the land had been
too great, that it was what might
be called cruel to the land. The land
was getting lighter, the yield was
less.
Another farmer stated that con-
tinuous cropping certainly shows a
loss of fertility, but in his opinion
new land now raises as. much as it
ever did, having retained its fertil-
ity.
Another farmer disagreed with the
above as to the same fertility In new
land now as Is years ago. He thought
the land was now more subject to
disease and did not raise as large
crops when first cultivated as in the
earlier days
Another farmer said thai he raised
as good wheat and as much Of it af-
ter corn had been grown on the land
as ever.
Another far mer said, and his opin-
ion was concurred In by a majority
of those present, that more oats, bar
lev and such feed stuff could be
raised per acre now than In the ear
| lier days.
Another thought that there was
! something..wrong with the wheat II
the land raises better oats and barley
than formerly and was positive that
new ground nov raises less wheat
than new ground did originally. It
was suggested that the early maturi.
ty of grain on the 'old land might
account for this difference in yield
between wheat planted last year or
new ground and on old.
Professor Thomas Shaw at this
point was called upon by the conduc
tor and the discussion was continued
He stated that he had listened tt
the discussion by Slutsman count!
farmers Of this subject and it swas :
most interesting one to him >espec
tally, the fact that there appeared t
be a belief among some present tta,
something besides deterioration ii
the land was the cause Of less crol
yield.
Generally the institute people fint
In inquiriDg about the Cropping o
lands and the difference In early da,
and present yields that all farmer