The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-11-24
WILL BENEFIT FARMERS.
Suggestions Offered BY Agricultural
Experts At Farmers Institute.

Suggestions Offered BY Agricultural
Experts At Farmers Institute.
Ooe Of the most successful farmers
institutes in the northern Montana
series was held in this city Frid ay,
when interesting and Instructive ad.
dresses were given by Professors Lin
field and Cooley, of the Montana ex.
pertinent station at Bozeman, and
Prof. Thomas Shaw, of Minnesota. /
There was q large audience at each OF
the meetings, the attendance at the
evening session filing the court room.
Prot. Linfield, who spoke on the
conservation of moisture at the after
noon meeting, discussed the subject of
'Crops for Dry Farms" in his second
address. The great essential for sue.
cess, next to the proper preparation
and cultivation of the soil, is the
planting Of early maturing crops. Mr..
Ltnfeld called attention to the fact
that the native grasses mature and
produce seed early In July, aud the
selection of such kinds of grain and
forage crops as will mature at about
the same time was suggested as advis-
able in order to conform to local con-
ditions. That is why fall rye and
fall wheat are recommended az the
most suitable crops for dry land
farms. Mr.. Linfield declared that in
experiments with Turkey red wheat,
covering q period of five years, he
had met with only one failure, and he
regarded that crop as the great money
maker for dry land farms.
Success in dry farming, declared
MIR. Linfield, depends upon knowl.
edge of natural conditions and adapt.
ing our methods to them. Light
seeding is said to produce the best
results, In most instances, as heavy
seeding encourages q rank growth of
straw which consumes moisture that
otherwise would promote growth OF
the grain. Fall rye was described as
one of the most hardy grains and
biggest troopers known to agricul.
t~urists. Hulless barley was COM
mended as q crop that always pro-
duces plump grain under all circum-
stances, whether the crop is large or
small, and is the most reliable OF
spring grain. Alfalfa and bronze
grass we're described as the best for.
age crops, because their long roots
enable them to secure necessary mois.
ture. In closing his address, Prof
Linfield warned dry land farmers tina,
weeds are q very expensive crop, TO,
the aso that they consume just a
much moisture az the more valuable
grain or forage.
Prot. Thomas Shaw, of Minnesota
made an interesting address upon the
livestock interests of Montana anG
their development, in which he ex
pressed the opinion that the CONVEX
sion of large areas of Montana graz
ing lands into fields of grain and for
age crops will result in increasing
the livestock wealth of the ate Prot
Shaw explained the reason for hold
ing such views by stating that tn
larger production of feeding stuff from
q given res would naturally result,
in q larger output of beef and mutton
and that the better facilities for put
ting livestock into marketable condi
ton would reduce the time In whicl
the stockman could realize his profit
1t was predicted that under the ne,
system steers will be sent to marke
when two years old, and will sell q
rel atively better prices than ra g
stock of greater age and weight. Pro
lessor Shaw stated that an slfalf
crop Of II tons per acre on dry Ian
q farms, and a corn fodder crop of tire
to four tons to the acre, would fur
, nish the necessary feed stuff.
/ Prof. F. S. Cooley closed the sessio
. with an address upon "Humbugs,
t this design alton being applied to a
legged new varieties Of grain for whic
fabulous yields are claimed, and {
q seed of various kinds that Is less d.
sirable than standard and tested var
. cites. The speaker also condemne
= fruit tree peddlers, manufacturers {
stock foods and patent medicines 6
humbugs who are engaged ia tryiu
to separate the farmers from thei
@ hard-earned cash.