Judith Gap journal., 1910-08-12

trouble you when you are dong your
work. You do not want the sod on
top; you want it down, and you want
to keep it there until it decays so far
that When you bring it up, it is going
to dislntcsrate and fall apart and al
low You 10 properly cultivate your
land Well now, that is one way in
which YOU can feel assured OF good
crop. believe that if land is treated
as | have referred to, in ninety
cases out OF hundred in Montana,
the man who sows his crop properly
on that land is going to get good
return.
v eli now, there is another way,
and | think III some respects an i'm
provemcnt on that way You people
are going out into these fields when
they get through here, and will soon
draw to close that YOU may go, ior
It would be misfortune that you
should not have the opportunity OF
seeing what is grown there. Now, l
thcrn ran an excursion to Chester last
want to call your attention to the
crops OF corn that are growing in
that held. believe that corn is go
ing to be grown over all the bench
lands OF Montana. and believe that
the farmers will have TO grow it ii
they are going to live in Montana.
We'll nov. think it is one OF the
greatest things imaginable for the
state that We can feel assured to-
day that fodder corn can be success
fully grown. 1t can be easily and it
can be surely grown. | remember
when was talking in this strain at
! was talkin in this strain at
Chinook. An old farmer called out
from the back part OF the assembly.
Tie said, Hold on, sir. You arc talk
ing about growing corn, how to get
cop OF corn, and | want to ask you
a question: said, "Al right" My
question is this: Doesn't corn take
moisture out OF the soil when it is
growing, as we'll as other crops::" |
said yes. We'll then, if corn takes
moisture out OF the soil when you arc
growing it, where arc you going to
get your moisture to grow your crop
OF grain" Well. that question sound
ed reason, it sounded logical. said,
"Old gentleman, don't YOU worry
about that. You will find the mois-
turc there, wherever it comes from.
OF course, corn does take moisture
out OF the soil, but the roots go away
down deep and everywhere. and they
don't take the moisture away from the
surface of the soil like the grain
does Well. time went on, and he
SAID You will see, you will see" |
met him about three weeks ago, He
said. as he held out his hand very
pleasantly. "Do you remember the
man at Chinook who put the question
to you about growing a crop OF grain
after corn?" said. "Ycs, Of course
do. How could forget a man like
'hat:" He said, We'll now then,
aren't you going to sec that | was
right?" said, "Wait. old man Now,
just as sure as the sun shines, you
are going to be downed, and you get
ready for being downcd" Well now.
want to tell you the old man is
downed We have got the evidence
of it here could not point to any
evidence before I came to this place
yesterday that 4 crop OF grain would
grow as good after a crop Of corn as
after summer fallowing. hut I want
to tell you that out there in that field
there are better crops OF wheat to-
day growing after crops OF corn. than
are growing on the summer fa'low-
ing right beside the corn. (Applause) }
tell you, ladies and gentlemen,
that was a surprise to me. There are
some things about it am not just
very clear about yet. I put the ques-
ton to Director Iinicld and it stuck
him, and ! put it to Mr.. Stevens and
it stuck him. and the question has set
us all to thinking We know the
wheat is there, We know the corn was
there before it, VIC know the wheat is
better on the corn ground than it is
alongside it. but we don't know the
reason exactly why it is better But
that surprises me to know the fact,
whether ! know the reason or not.
Now don't you see, farmers, when
you arc growing crop Of corn, you
arc growing from two to three tons
Of the best fodder that you can get
fo- your livestock, per acre, to carry
them through the winter. and when
you grow the crop OF corn you have
got your lands summer 1allowcd and
ready for the crop OF grain that fol-
lows the next year, and this is as sure
as the sun shines in the slv. If You
have taken proper care Of that corn,
in growing the corn, you are going to
get good crop of grain from the
seed that you SOW in that land the
next year.
Now then. why should farmers run
the risk Of failure--of total failure
in not having the seed come up at all,
when they need not take that risk if
they only do their farmino right?
tell you. farmers. am glad that you
cannot get crops of grain every year
in succession in Montana. tell you
I am glad that it is so. It is going
to prove an unmingled blessing to
the farmers of Montana. for it is 60
ing to make them do what the fellows
IN North Dakota won't do, and what
the farmers in Montana would not
do unless they were forced to do it.
1t is going to make yon farm your
land as you ought to farm it. ii YOU
are going to get good crops Now
then. don't vou see that it is going to
-