Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-08-21
ADVANTAGE OF CORN GROWING

The Grand Forks Times tells of
some experiments with corn growing
being. made on the farm Of Hon.
J. D. Bacon, which Is just outside
of Grand Forks. and a typical Red
river valley farm. The Times says'
Among the problems which are be-
ing worked out on the Lilac Hedge
farm near this city is that OF corn
growing. That question has been SO
thoroughly worked out that it is now
pronounced a success. This year $50
acres were planted to corn and those
who are familiar with corn crops
grown in Iowa say that the presen.
crop on the Lilac Hedge farm Is the
equal to the present average crop
in Iowa. The crop will mature and
the yield will be as good as the aver
age yield in the corn growing states.
There are several collateral consid-
erations in the adoption of corn as
a standard crop in this part OF the
northwest. Some crop must be found
which can be used for cleaning foul
land SO that the land need not lay
idle over a season. Corn meets TINS
requirement admirably. The pres
ent crop on the Lilac Hedge farm
is grown upon land upon which corn
was grown last year. The cult1va-
ton Of the land during these two
years, has completely cleaned out all
noxious weeds and the ground IS III
superb condition for any crop that
may be planted upon 1t next veal:
It is believed by those who are COM
petent to judge that it would yield,
if planted to wheat next year, crop
as heavy as though 1t had been so"n
to clover one or two years. , !
+ Another matter Of practical inter
est is the profit which corn crop
will yield. Last winter a hundred
head of stock winteredz at the Lilac
Hedge farm without having any food
except corn fodder, and the animals
kept in good condition during the
entire winter. The fodder was not
put into sylos but fed directly from
the shock, being hauled to the barns
as needed. The direct returns from
that crop were larger per acre than
a crop of wheat grown under the
one crop conditions. But 1t Is stated
that even if the corn crop were an
entire failure, the enhanced condt-i
ton of the land would be worth as
much as a crop of grain grown IN
the ordinary way. u >" =
The seed corn from which the
present crop is beng grown was
raised last year on the same farm
and each year will probably show a
marked advantage in acclimatlon.
It is also true that the western
part of the state offers splendid op-
portunities for corn growing. For
twenty years some pioneer farmers
of Mercer county have been select
ing and improving the strains or
the old Indian corn. That corn
grew upon a small cob, and the kern
els were as many colored as JOS
eph's coat. BY cultivating the stan
dard colors, cultivating the corn
year after year, and using the seed
from the largest and fullest ears,
an early corn has been developed
the ears of which run twelve or
thirteen inches long, we'll filled and
firm. For twenty years on some
farms there has not been a failure
Of crop.
All this Indicates that North Dako-
ia soil and climate will produce the
same crops as Iowa and states fur
Their east and south, provided the
seed is properly bred and, selected
It is also interesting and valuable
to learn that the value Of a crop
of corn fed to cattle, brings better
return than the average crop OF
wheat. BY cultivating corn the tar;
mer clears the land, and does it with
out the loss of productive capacity
in a his farm. r "a. NJ
J. M. Stewart is now the news