The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-07-28

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MINOT, NORTH DAKOTA, JULY %, 1910
EDIT RIAL CON Nj NT
zone Swallow Does Not Make Sumner
One swallow does not make summer
and, likewise the fact, one crop failure
does not signify that North Dakota is not
great agricultural state, and destined to be-
come still greater one if the farmers will
only take to heart the lessons they have
learned this summer. This is the best lesson
our farmers have ever had on the subject of
diversified farming. We have had six farm
ers' Institutes here in Minot that we remem-
Der of, and at every one of those gatherings
experts from the agricultural colleges have
warned the farmers to diversity, to plant
corn, to grow clover, to milk US and raise
hogs and chickens. A very small percentage
of those farmers have needed the warning.
ooh, that man doesn't know what he is
talking about" we remember of hearing one
farmer remark who listened to the words of
the expert. THAT book farming doesn't go
in North Dakota" and he went on sowing
wheat, wheat, wheat, year after year. The
Independent years ago took up this subject
editorialy and we have kept pounding away
readers thought we were away Oft. We hope
that we have been instrumental in setting
some right, but we are sorry to state that
very large percentage of our farmers have
continued to grow wheat almost exclusively
up to the present moment. But they won't
do so any longer. The jolt has been a hard
one, but it is one that will be long remem-
bered. The Independent predicts that next
year ten times as much corn will be grown as
was ever grown here before, and perhaps
this statement is not half strong enough.
The farmers have arrived at stage where
they are compelled to grow corn whether
they want to or not We can take you out
into the country surrounding Minot and show
you fifty per cent of the fields that would not
have produced but small an. cunt of wheat
under the most favorable conditions within
three years, unless the farmers changed their
methods and grew corn Corn cleans up the
land, and puts it in fine shape for crop of
wheat or other grain the following year.
With corn comes mich cows. The mich COW
farmer will have no trouble in getting all the
credit he wants. for as a usual thing he will
not need much credit. II is well known
fact that the man who has the best credit, is
the one who needs it the least. The all wheat
farmer, no matter how careful farmer he
has been, will never have the credit extended
to him that his neighbor, who milks cows,
raises chickens and hogs has.
Our Commercial club was criticized unmer-
cifully short time ago because it CHANGED to
ers and send out circulars advising them to
grow feed, and at once. This was the only
logical thing for the Commercial club to do,
and instead of being criticized, every citizen
should laud them for their efforts. North
Dakota has passed the stage Of development
where we have to lie about her condi-
tons, if lies ever could be considered wise.
lox NV, hoo1r of
ord of which we can feel proud, and yet the
time has come for us to change our methods.
To lie to the people in distant states and say
that our crops are all right this year, is the
poorest kind of policy, and the Independent
for one will take no part in such an action.
We have great dairy state, we have great
agricultural state, and as an industrial state,
our future seems very bright. The opportu-
mites here for man to make comfortable
home and lay by a competency for his declin-
ing years, are better than any state of which
we know. But to tell gross falsehoods con-
corning our present conditions will not help
matters one iota. It will merely have the
tendency Of discoloring all the good things
that have been said about North Dakota
which are true.
Some farmers never will learn lesson, no
matter how severe it is. But we predict that
very large per cent have already learned it
and learned it we'll, and instead of this being
a calamity, it will prove to be the greatest
blessing that ever befell this state. With
the right sort of methods applied next year,
you will surely get good crop, and the crop
shortage Of the year 1910 will be passed up
lightly. You will not only more than make
up what you have lost this year, but if you
stick and practice the lessons which you have
learned you will make it with 1907 interest
added. Stay with the game, but play it right
next time if you happen to be one of those
who were on the wrong track.
The government will build two batt(eships
every year until the United States has one Of
the strongest navies In the world. A modern