Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1909-02-04
FARMERS HEAR LECTURERS

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mentioned. Breaking up the land,
sown to clover, in this way allows
the wind to carry more or less soil
to other fields and the neighborhood
becomes capable of growing clover,
the soil is enriched at the same time,
and from a plowed up clover field two
or three grain crops can be grown
with greater profit, and the veget-
able matter left in the land tends to
hold the moisture. Growing clover,
following with wheat, restoring land
by the same crop, and your son and
your grandson can keep on raising
grain said the, speaker.
Alfalfa-In starting this crop spec
ial pains should be taken in getting
the land clean. 1t is not a rotation
crop like clover which you cut for
hay, or. seed, or both. and plow up.
Alfalfa should be soWed on land made
rich by fertilizers, and cleaned by
summer following or by growing
crops of corn or potatoes. Fifteen
pounds of seed should be sowed to
the acre, and not too early, about
June lst for a good start. Weeds will
grow with the alfalfa but run a
mower over the field when the
growth is from six to eight inches
high. Let what is cut down remain.
Cut again if necessary and allow it to
remain for mulching, but be careful
to leave the growth from eight to
ten inches high in the fall to protect
the roots from snow; keep off the
stock and with such a we'll started
crop you can cut one and two crops
year for hay.
Another plant, the Canadian field
pea was highly recommended by
Prof. Shaw who asked if anyone had
tried to raise it. Alfred Lawrence
said that he had made successful
trial and the crop did well last year
in the drv season. He was the only
farmer present who had experiment.
ed with the pea crop, which restores
fertility to the land and adds from
two to five bushels more yield to the
acre for wheat. It is good crop on
which to turn hogs. If it Is not de-
sired to harvest the field.
Prof. Hoverstad turned loose the
question box, and said that anyone
who desired could leave written
questions which would be answered
by the lecturers. In reply to the
question SIS the soil richer after
harvesting clover''? the answer was
''Much more 500 as the clover plant
takes the nitrogen out of the air and
leaves it in the soil and nitrogen is
the principal element for profitable
grain growing.
The question was asked, had the
holding of Farmers Institutes and
getting farmers to grow alfalfa any
thing to do with the high price of
the seed?
Prof. Shaw said that clover seed
had been raised in this state as high
as five bushels to the acre, Alfalfa
seed may be high at present because
it is not grown, ,and when it is grown
it will be much cheaper.
Prot. Hoverstad had exhibited a
bottle of clover seed as a sample
raised on the Bathgate experimental
station. The yield was II bushels on
four acres. The first cutting was
threshed in an ordinary separator,
and there we're Is sacks over, Of seed
and chaff. One Grand Forks firm had
imported and sold a car load of seed
this year, but it would soon be found
that clover seed would be shipped
out Of the state instead Of in and
when those now so anxious about the
high price would be equally as anx-
ious about getting it.
At this point President Wilburt
Default of the Commercial Club
stated that the Club was very anx-
ious for the success Of the institutes,
and that farmers from the county
should attend, thereby making the
meetings annual events; and that all
should be free to ask questions, 'to
stump the lecturers If possible
The last speaker Of the morning
was DR.. Montgomery whose address
was most happy altho along some
what different lines from the lee
lures. He said that In this world
everything to man looks at first
fixed, and then unfixed. because we
are seeking to be different and to
change our conditions. Even the
clods in the field seem to recognize
the great struggle in the world and
to feel the influence OF the stir Of
mind. How to find our place in the
world, how to secure success is the
problem with us all. For success,
even in small way, is much better
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