The Dickinson press., 1908-06-20

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weighed and the record kept. Each
week the plants are larger and heavier
and the growth during that week is
thus made known. Samples of the
soil where the plants are secured are
taken and the amount of moisture
determined by the methods already
explained.
A nursery for the growing Of all
variety Of grains is of much interest.
Small areas of ground are planted
with all varieties and the plants al.
lowed to grow. The best specimens
are preserved and the seeds gathered
and saved so that the following gear
the best and largest strains of that
variety may be again sowed, and in
this way new varieties are secured
and the old mes improved.
In alfalfa growing many expert.
ments are being carried on with a
view toward finding out the kinds
best adapted to North Dakota. The
different strains of this crop are cul-
tivated under all conditions Of fertil-
izing, soil, etc., and the results bull.
letined for instruction of the farm.
ers. Different kinds of clover are
grown for the same purpose and ex.
periments are made with field peas,
millets and other crops. The re.
cent hail storm did a great deal o.:
damage to the young plants of the al
falfa. clover and peas, so that the
years results will be affected to some
extent.
The station is M only doing good
work in the PRONUNCIATION of crops,
but also in observing the weather and
climatic conditions. A well-equipped
bureau is maintained with the most
modern apparatus furnished by the
government The working of these
delicate instruments is worth. careful
observation. One apparatus is for de-.
termlning the amount of moisture in
the air. BY wetting the end of a Their
mometer-like arrangement and whirl.
ing it rapidly in the air, the moisture
gathers like drops of dew and it is
possible to read the conditions of the
air. An automatic Thermometer re,
cords the temperature of the air at
all hours of every day for a week on
an especially prepared chart.
The velocity of the wind is deter.
mined by an instrument which regis
tiers the number of revolutions of a
fan driven by the wind. The evapor-
alton In the course of a day is deter.
mined by the use of a large tank of
water, the depth of which is measur-
ed at a certain hour each day and com.
pared with the previous days meas
urements. A record Of daily rainfall
is secured by a metal cylinder, cap
ped by a funnel-shaped top, the area
of which is ten times that of the area
Of the cylinder. The rain falls into
the can and is measured daily and the
amount of rainfall per inch thus com.
muted. A similar arrangement is used
for registering hail. The temperature
of the ground is learned in two ways,
by thermometers thrust into the dirt
and by an automatic recorder similar
to the air thermometer, connected by
a hollow tube to a bulb which is sunk
into the ground. The degrees of heat
for a whole week are recorded by the
instrument.
In the matter of forestry, while
good results are being obtained, no
especial time and attention are put
on this branch of the station. Native
trees are set out and cared for, main.
ly to show the farmers of this region
that trees can be grown and to induce
them to devote their attention to set
ting out trees where the country is
now destitute of foliage.
Varieties of apples, plums and other
kinds of fruits have also been set out
and are doing pretty we'll.
The work of the station has only
begun. It has been in existence about
three years, but this is practically the
second season of the work. The ex-
periments now in progress will not
be completed for some time and the
final results will not be known until
then. The people of this region are
beginning to realize what the station
is doing and Of how much value it is
to them. Visitors are always well
come and many farmers in the city
for this weeks institute took advant-
age of the opportunity to visit the
station and learn more of It's works.
1t is impossible to realize the extent
and value until one has made a per.
sonal visit to the place. Supt. L. R.,
Waldron has been connected with the
station since it's establishment. He
is giving his undivided attention to