The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-03-06
FARMERS
INSTITUTE
Large Gathering of Farmers At.
the Institute. Interesting
Discussions.

Prof. Hoverstad resumed and said he
thot one Of the essentials had been
struck IN that way. In regard to lover
he said he had a yield that ran 8 tons to
the acre. His was Mammoth clover
Selection of seed and thoro cultivation
are necessary. Supt. Hoverstad here
said the success of the institute depend
ed on everyone taking part. That a
farmers institute is not where speakers
come and tell them things and have
them 60 home and work blindly.
Prof. Shaw. / think the statement
was made that there was no difficulty in
getting $3.50 bushels of wheat to the
acre when this country began tobe till
ed and the average yield later had been
lois bushels. have been Interested
in the discussions and the reasons that
were given. think they are in meas
ure true, everyone of them. l intend
to state plainly my convictions on these
points though they may not be palatable
to some. Now I think there is no truth
in the statement that climate has reduc-
ed the yield of grain. It has some but
to no great extent. Another reason was
the fact that proper care was not taken
Of the seed grain. There is truth in that
l believe that the wheat plants have not
the ability to put good grain in the
heads as they did when the country
was new. Another reason assigned was
the prevalence of weeds in the country.
! do not set that down as the principal
reason. That is question of keeping
weeds out Of soil. II I were asked to
give q single reason I would set it down
in that thot, that the soil is not capable
of psodacting the old good yields. The
second reason is that the fertility is
gone from the soil, 25 years has cut your
average right in two. The condition is
not peculiar to Pembina or this county
or to North Dakota. In a greater or
less degree the average 25 years ago
was 25 bushels to the acre SO that in all
Of N. d. the yield is cut in two. It is
serious question to the man who will
consider it. +. What is going to confront
the farmers in the next % sears2 25
years more will cut the crops to BUSH
els per acre. !
When the farmers Of the country
reach that condition how are they going
to live then9 We know how much fer
tility is taken out of the soil to produce
q bushel Of wheat. Every bushel of wheat
produced, and the straw contains las
lbs, of nitrogen, l 4-5 lbs, potash some
phosphoric acid. Now you ask what
these things have to do with this ques-
tion. There never was crop that was
q crop that was not grown from these
materials. These are the three princi-
pal elements that enable the farmer to
grow his crop. Suppose you farmers
had to buy these what would you have
to pay for them. The three Ingredients,
nitrogen is nine cents per pound, phos-
phoric acid il seven cents and potash is
five cents per pound. In 1908 N. D. sent
out 2, ,0O0, 200 bushels Of wheat, 13O00,-
600 bushels each Of barley and oats.
Now ! have told you how much fertility
fis taken in : bushel Of wheat. Now
what does that leaye the farmer. In 1905
we sent out fertility that was worth
IA Oo00 600 in > single season. Where is1
the country under the sun that can
stand that kind q abuse Of the soili
Suppose one q you farmers were in
New England. how much fertiliser|
would You have % havei What IL our
Ifarmsrs are - grow 50 bushsls Of oats
and use no of tiliser 10 put % that
tCsatinusd q pags fiye)