The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-06-30

day in Minot Mr.. Hughes was on
his way home from a three weeks
tour OF inspection Of the west, having
gone thru a considerable portion, OF
Montana, North Dakota and Mime
sofa. He accompanied the Northern
Pacific's Better Farming special
}tsain thru this state and out into
Montana.
4 Mr.. Hughes says che conditions in
Montana are not at all promising
! this year, that state having had no
rains to speak of since July last.
The ground is in consequence very
dry and hard and very little breaking
has been done this year. Thousands
Ct homesteaders nave gone into that
( state during the past year, and altho
he rode for $50 miles Monday from
Sidney, Mont, east, he did not see
any considerable amount of breaking.
He did not believe that the amount
: OF breaking for each settler would
average more than a couple Of acres.
The grass is very short throusuout
the state, the highest grass Of natur-
al growth he bad seen being not moro
than four inches. One man driving
ia considerable distance across thu
prairie, carried his own hay with
him, not trusting to finding grass
enough to feed his hores.
Mr. Hughes in speaking of the
said:
You people ought to feel encour-
aged, because the crops in this part
of the state are the best that have
seen in a ride of hundreds of miles.
That is not saying that I think the
yield is going to be large one, be-
cause do not think that it lis. The
conAi tions are not good anywhere
this year, and in many places the
prospects are not nearly as good as
they are in Northwestern North Da-
kota. or course the crops are spot
ted" and in some localities the early
sown grain will not be cut. There
may have been plenty of moisture
IN the ground under ordinary condi-
tons, and there may still be mois-
ture there, but the excessive heat has
done its work to many fields. It ID
just Like giving q Thirsty man q bie
cup Of water and a very small straw
to suck It thru The grain cannot
draw up the moisture fast enough.
In my estimation, there Is 3ust
one thing to do. II the farmer see.
that be has 6eld Of wheat that =
not going to mako much, siasA u
down for hay. Hay IL going to be
mighty valuable before spring. an1
much OF ths wheat, or oats will maks
good feed. Stay BY the crops TIM
show promise Favorabie weather
will yea do wonders. A half crop
with good prices will mean much
Potatoes end oog1 look all right yet.
Ctr up the soil end CONSERVE ~ ~
moisture yen ca1. ~
AT Willistoa, there have b1Dn
5.2S inches Of rainfall since April 1,
but tho evaporation has been II inch.
e. This Is quite lot Of the re
servo taken rom tho ground. From
8 O'Clock Monday morning until the
same hour Tuesday morning, .56 Of
IN inch had evaporated from the *.
pertinent tank Under those condi'
lions, the sun will pump the water
from the plant faster than the plant
can pump the water from the ground
| 7 believe that the farmers car
SOW five or ten acres of rlillet yet
under fair conditions can get lot
Of good feed He could even SOW
flax and cut it green for feed. Speltz
will make as quick a crop as any
thing you can put into the ground
would suggest that the farmer SOW
It broadcast and cover it with a pillow
just as shallow as possible. This
puts the seed down on the solid sur.
face with q mulch over It, and the
conditions would be most favorable.
THIS may not be good gospel but
under the circumstances might N
the best way.
II took particular notice Of the
wheat on the exterfmsnt farm d
Williston. The best was that sowu
on ground that had been summer fal'
owed last year, and narrowed eight
times. Another plot that looked
well was that which was sown on
rye and pea x1ound and narrowed
and imr1uwed. MI Of that sown
on spring and TALL blowing looked
bad.
IF rain does come In time to do
rho rrraiy ant GOOD would o. int