The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-08-18
GRAIN CONTEST
A Big SUCCESS
ToWNER COUNTY FARMER CAP
TUREs FIRST PRIZE IN AN
NuAL CONTEST CON-
QUOTED BY CON-"
MISSIONER Gil
BREATH.

Bismarck, N. D., Aug. IS. - The
annuel grain contest for prizes
offered by the state, through the de-
partment of agricultural and labor, for
the best collection of grains, grasses
and other agricultural. products grown
in North Dakota, was brought to a
most successful conclusion Aug. Is,
and all the forenoon of the succeeding
day, Monday the 10th, was occupied
by the judges in a painstaking Snd
laborious scrutiny of the hundreds OF
samples OF all kinds, qualities and
conditions which were offered in COM
petition. When it is stated that some
of the collections contained over thirty
different varieties of grain, and, in
many instances more than one sample
of each kind, some idea can be formed
Of the difficult task with which the
judges were confronted.
The judges, to whose judgment the
final awarding of the prizes was left
were Governor Burke, State Auditor
D. K Brightbill, Land Commissioners
A. F. Macdonald, Hon. E. S. Neal and
H. J. Geierman.
There were seventy different collec-
tions competing and it was not until
high noon that the judges were ready
to announce the, result of their labors
Never before in the history of the
state has such splendidly represen-
tative collection of her products been
gathered together and 1t is a certain
ty that the state exhibit prepared from
these entries will truthfully and worth
lily represent the greatest crop ever
t.nl sV. 1,a
5isbee Man FiKst.
To Towner county belongs the honor
of winning the first prize of $125, c.
f. Nelson Of Bisbee capturing it with
magnificent collection, comprising
no less than thirty four different vari-
ties of agricultural products. Mr.. Nell
son won fairly on the merit and vari-
ETY. of his selections as no attempt at
display was made and the discrimina-
tion Of the judges in awarding this
prize indicates the rigid scrutiny which
they exercised in their difficult task,
for many of the other offerings had the
advantage of being tastefuny and ar
tistically arranged in a manner to at
tract the eye, which, when combined
with real merit, made a Just discrimi-
I nation exceptionally hard. In this entry
are found examples of different vari-
eties OF wheat, such as fife, velvet
chaf, blue stem and winter, even in
Guiding one of the celebrated and
much advertised Alaska wheat which
created such furore in the agricul-
tural world a year ago. It also in
cludes barley, oats, macaroni wheat
flax, clover of different varieties, spear
mint, and tame and wild grasses of
numerous kinds, in all comprising
thirty -four distinct items.
Charles Shebler of Burleigh county
was the winner of the second prize, and
in variety the display was nearly equal
to the first, covering practically the
same range of SUBJECTS. 1t was taste
fully arranged and a splendid example
of what can be done with North Da-
kota soil.
1t may have been lucky for the first
two w. A. McCulley of Cakes only had
from Thursday of last week to Satur-
day in which to gather the collection
which drew the third prize. 1t is prob
able that with a little more variety this
offering would have given the Others
a tight. run, and possibly have won
Dickey county need not be ashamed
OF the showing made, for individually
Mr.. McCulley's samples were the equal
and in many instances the superior OF
any. The sample of yellow oats especi-
ally comes from a field CONCERNING
which heavy wagers have been made
that the yield would exceed 100 bushels
to the acre. Mr.. McCulley is largely
| interested In real estate in Dickey
county and has himself over 2. 600 acres
in flax this year. He win also have ar
exhibit at the Omaha exhibition which
will do Dickey county and North Da-
kota proud
Lands $50 Prize.
William Laist of Bismarck drew the
fourth number and $50 for as neat
exhibit as could well be gotten together