Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1910-07-15
North Dakota is that it is not a COM
Y,Iafo fai1,,ra

plete failure.
"A more serious phase of the situa-
ton than even the practical loss Of
the North Dakota grain crop is the
shortage of hay and forage. The
grain losses are in a sense local in
character, the hay shortage is general.
Minnesota farmers are feeding their
stock. North Dakota has, practically
no hay. The pastures of Illinois, Iowa,
South Dakota, and as far east as Ohio
are reported short or failing altogether,
while over the range country from the
Montana line south and westward into
Utah drought conditions prevail. The
result of this must be to force cattle,
including much-needed breeding stock,
onto the market in poor condition.
Herein lies suggestion for our
drought-stricken North Dakota read
ers. The credit of the North Dakota
farmer is good: let him use it to buy
range stock to pasture down his fields,
or let neighborhoods where the crops
have failed open their fields to ranch
ers who will be glad of the chance
to fit their stock for market. This
will require money in the first case
mentioned, but the careful buyer
should be able to make a fair profit
on his fields turned over to cattle or
sheep. The second plan will call for
neighborhood action, and probably
the sending of a live agent into the
ranching country to get business
but it is there, and can be had.
This is no time to lose heart. The
average farmer is living behind his
income, but he should make every
effort this year to at least pay run
ming expenses. The first prime neces-
sity is feed. If this is lacking re-
member that oats or barley cut green
make good hay. Wheat not worth
harvesting is far too good to throw
away. Cut it for hay. The corn crop
Is yet safe; keep the cultivators 60
ing. Sow some fall rye-a good sized
field Of it-for late fall and early
spring pasture, in order to shorten
the feeding season. If your oat crop
has failed and you can get hold of
some spelz (emmer) SOW some of
that 1t will ripen as quickly as any
known crop, and if the frost holds
off a reasonable time it will ripen and
furnish grain feed which, when
ground, is nearly equal to oats. Sow
oats and millet for hay. Do not wait
for rains. AS the matter now stands
your time is worth little and your
only outlay 4 is Seed, There is, yet
plenty of time for Srutabagas and stur
nips. They will help to hold up the
milk flow, and butter will pay a good
share. sof& next winters store bills
DON sit looking at the blighted fields
pIoW them down, and harrow 1mmedf
ately after the pillow. Summer fallov
every acre you can, and harrow every
acre after every rain. Next year may
be wet. If so you will still be money
ahead by following dry farming
methods, but if this should prove tt
be one Of a series of dry years every
possible means Of holding whatever
moisture falls will be essential to the
maturing of paying crop.
"Above all else, don't Jose your
nerve. The country is all right. Gu
down the expenses. Turn everything
you can into feed, for hay will be
high in price before another cro1
comes to the cutting. Don't sell you
stock, but stand ready to buy at any
fair price. If your grain is low IL
grade use tanning mill and do you'll
own grading up. If you haven't any
grain, brother, there are better years
ahead."-Farm, Stock and Home.