The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-12-02
farmers And DAIRYNENS
INSTITUTE HUGE SUCCESS
Institute Season Of 1901 Opens at GraoDFne Weather
and the Strong Programme Bring Out Great
Crowd---Dairying Urged

Grafton, N. D., Dec. 1.-THE 1910-11
season Of farmers Institutes in North
Dakota was opened under most auspi
cious circumstances here yesterday
Fine weather, a splendid programme
and the keen interest that is being
taken by the farmers of this section
Of the Red River valley in dairying Of
late brought out great crowd, and
the only trouble is to get meeting
place large enough. .&
The institute was in charge OF I, A.
Hoverstad, superintendent of farmers
institute, and r. F. Flint, dairy com
missioner. OF North Dakota. They were
assisted by Joel Winkjer Of the United
States department of agriculture; Col.
r. A. wilkinson, dairyman at Lake
Elmo Mimi; G. l.. Martin, professor
Of dairying, North Dakota Agricultural
college; Alfred Gabrielson of Fargo.
secretary of the Dairymen's associa-
ton; L. A. Edwards, dairy expert.
Marion, N. D., and w. G. Palmer Of
the North Dakota Agricultural college.
Mr.. Flint opened the meeting with
a discussion Of the live stock problem.
He tried to learn from the farmers
why they were not raising more stock
and why they did raise stock when
they had it on their farms. The
opinion seemed to be that most Of
them that had stock kept them for
the cleaning up of their land.
There was also a long discussion on
the weed problem in which the farm
ers related their experiences in getting
rid of such weeds as the Canada this
tie. The following method was the
one that they had used with the most
satisfaction. Let the thistles grow till
they are ready to seed then cut them
and pillow the land. Or plow them
under Then cultivate the land so
that no green spear of the thistle can
get up to the light. When this is done
thoroughly for a season the thistles
are killed The work must be done
thoroughly or it will be a failure.
Mr.. Winkler opened his discussion
by relating how the soil had been
formed from the rock, how the veget-
able matter accommodating through the
ages added fertility, till it was in the
condition that man found it. He said
that we must in measure follow ma
lures way and put something back
He said that the best way to do it was
To dairy That we would have to come
to 1t as the older sections have done,
and that the sooner we begin the bet
ter. He said that there was no danger
Of OVERRIDING the business. Population
is increasing. AS a better product is
made more OF it is used. This holds
with all kinds of dairy products-butl
ter, milk, cheese, and cream.
SOIL Stating that it is our business to
keep the soil in a permanently pro-
ductive condition, and that the dairy
cow is the most effective means for
doing it. He stated that the climate is
very conducive to the cows we'll do.
ing, that they like the feeds produced
here and do exceptionally well on
them. He recommended the silo, as
the cheapest way Of producing feed
Barn ventilation and lighting must be
attended If the cows are to do WELL
He also spoke of the plan that is be-
ing worked out on the Johnston Farm
& Stock Co. farms. To keep enough
cows to furnish sufficient manure to
cover the farm every five years. They
have already one hundred cows on
farm No. 1 and on No. Is. The other
farms will be stocked as soon as they
can get the cattle and the barns erect
ed. Mr.. Edwards has charge OF the
dairying on these farms.
Practical Farmers Advice.
Colonel Wilkinson, who farmed in
the Red River valley for a good many
years and who now has a dairy farm
at Lake Elmo, Mimi, related some of
his experiences He started in raising
grain and thought that the productiv-
ity Of the land could not be impaired.
He found out as the yields began to
decrease that he was mistaken. Then
he turned to stock and his first choice
was beef stock. This did not prove
satisfactory so he changed over to
dairying and he has stayed by it, AS
long as he was making a profit at
grain raising he said he could not
have been induced to change. The de-
creased yields and vanishing profits,
however, converted him.
He advised going into it on small