The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-10-28
Speech of Louis w. Hill of Great Northern
Is Feature of Session of Dry Farmers
CHANGE OF ORGANIZATIONS NAME IS REFUSED
H. W. Campbell Known the Father of Dry Farming, De-
livers Talk Attacking Secretary Wilson of the
Department Of Agriculture-Offi-
GERS Elected.

new settlers of the dry lands must he
I educated to their work or failure will
come to them.
: 1t will not be disputed by anyone
who knows" said MIR. Campbell. that
ny and through scientific soil titlag"
more is being accomplished for the bet
E tcrncnt of all crops in all seasons and
under all conditions than in any otner
way. The one thing essential i'm scien-
) tific soil culture Is such a condition
of the soil as will secure in available
form the greatest amount of fertility.
This can be brought about by mechan-
ical processes But YOU can not la.
down a fixed rule FOR this: So the only
: thing to do is to help the farmer edu-
cate himsc'f in the true principles of
soil fertility. 50 that he will under
stand just what be is aiming at in all
field work. He must know why things
are done. He must ever be alert tn
the changes taking place. know In
what wav they may be favorable or
detrimental and what he should do and
, when 80 derive the greatest benefit
: from his labor. He must always look
to securing and maintaining that GER
tain ideal cnrdition of tn" soil that is
most favorable to promoting chemical
action which will develop fertility.
No Fis,,d Rule.
Mr.. Campbell Insisted it was evident
that any attempt to lay down n fixed
e as to the work to be done would
end in failure.
Il have no quarrel with anyone who
may differ with me-" he added. "or
refuse to go as far as | do. Use any
method to bring about the desired con-
! ditions in the soil do the work in any
way make use of any tool or im.ple-
mcnt or device. All that | shall insist
on Is that the farmer know what re-
suits he desires and that he shall go
by the most direct route to those re-
suits. It is the physical condition of
the soil at seeding time and maintained
in the growing period that is essential.
rather than any particular system in
getting 1t.
Il feel I can rerGer no greater serV-
Ice than to impress upon You the fact
that the one great and essential factor
in development of the agricultural re-
sources OF the semi arid belt is that Of
more intelligent. hence. more scientific.
til'age of tho soil An else is incl
dental or leading M tn this vital truth.
We have these reports of large crops.
better yields. greater prosperity, be-
cause men who st"dy behind the pillow
have come to know tn" inestimah:c
value nf scientific soil culture in maxi
ing and maintaining fertility of the
soil"
Mr.. Campbell. whose experimental
farm operations have covered &c years.
and who Is now directing large farm
. operations in score nf places in the
west. took occasion to answer Secre-
tary Wilson, who was quoted recently
as saving that the Campbell
system of dry land farming is wrong
and hurtfui" and that the N -. ~ fn'-
lowed hv the dry farmers will destroy
the fertility of the soil Il regard il
as exceedingly unfortunate" said MI.
Campbell. that encouragement from
official sources nould be given those
who are crying 8wn and bclittling the
work YOU and | and all of us HAYS
been doing i'm recent years in relation
to dry land tillaee."
Referring In Secretary Wilson's plan
To change the character of the soil by
growing drnuth- h-resisting plants tn
turn under and suggesting the use of
the Russian thistle and sweet clover
he said: Il do not know what can
be done with these plants, and | do
j not want To dispute him as to the
utility of these familiar plants. Eut
| am willing to leave the field of in
vestigation Of the usefulness of the
thistle and sweet clover and similar
plants from siberia and the far north
t. the department of agriculture
Attacks Are Wrong.
Il do insist added Mr.. Campbell
that it is wrong and hurtful and
wholly incNcusable for authority t" he
given at Washington far sensational
attacks upon the work that we of the
west are doing. Better that aid and
encouragement b. given in our work
of development Of scientific soil cul-
ture by and through which we have
already accomplished 50 much that is
of permanent value"
MIR. Campbell recounted some OF his
experiences of more than - years
studying soil problems in the dry
farming country and prophesicd
wonderful future of the country.
More Addresses.
At tonight's session addresses were
delivered as follows.
"Drouth Resistant Wild Wheats Of
Palestine Or. A Aaronsnhn. agrun-
omist and agricultural explorer. Haifa.
Palestine: W. r. Motherwell. commits
sioner of agriculture. Regina. Saskat-
chewan. Canada: DR.. Alberta Alibaud.
Chill.
What Intensive Farming has Done
iCnntinued On Page EiNel