The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-09-27

asked.
promised
But when the answer came it proved that Uncle
frank knew nothing whatever about dry farming
he could only guess that it must mean farming
Mltnout water which was OF course quite absurd;
and meanwhile Joels inquiries among the neigh
bors had met with no better success
About two weeks after his talk with DR. Cam
eron stranger called at Joes house. His costume
was dark gray knickerbocker suit and leggins A
pair OF glasses extremely concave made his eyes
seem to protrude like those of some great insect
and the resemblance heightened by his large
mead and slight, wiry figure. He was canvassing
tor book and, because strangers were rare he was
made welcome and sat for twenty minutes discours-
ing upon the merits of his volume The decision
that It was not best for them to buy he received with
quite surprising good grace and forthwith rose
1T seems to have been pretty bad wear for
crops all through this section, he remarked as he
descended the steps.
Its lack of rain" said loci
How much have you had?"
None to speak of since Nav"
consulted it. 100 O0ON anu
You've had fourteen inches in the last wear" he
Joel made no reply.
-. Twelve inches are enough to grow forty bushels
OF wheat to the acre. he went on, and in that field
used the rain: you've wasted it."
The stranger ended with a smile, or Joel might
nave retorted angrly. After his months of unre-
uniting labor it was not pleasant to find himself
accused of being the author of his own misfortunes
How have wasted it?" he asked
The stranger replied by putting another oues-
ton in a quick, nervous tone;
DID you ever write to, the Agricultural De-
Par Ent about your troubles, may ask7"
wouldn't do any good" "
hoe?" a. NoNese at "apa-
mo"
Ever visit one of their model farmsa",
You've hired man1"
"Do you use sub-soil packer7"
DRY farming" .....
And then of sudden Joel felt upon that book
agent and seized him. if he feared that he rioht
take to his heels and escape down the road
See here" he exclaimed What is dry farm
mgr I've been trying for months to find out"
They sat down on the steps and talked After
while they rose and walked about from one mart If
the farm to another inspecting and discussing it. not
iheeong the time, while the sank lower and
lower In the western sky.
Where did you find out all this?" asked Toel as
you, anyhow"
I'm sort Of missionary-n disguise" answered
the stranger. "I teach at Wapahoe This i vacs-
lon time and so I'm tramping the country and SELL
ing books to pay expenses"
lone IN, and have some supper" said Toel
Eldredge Brewster accepted the invitation and
stayed the night Every moment that was not spent
Ia, Ia steep was spent in earnest conversation and
wHen ne lett next morning, Joel walked with him
down the dusty road mile or more
III send you the books and the tool catalogues"
SAID his new found friend at parting you'll want
10 read 1t up 1t would help too if you would come
10 the college and see one of our model farms IL
ever you get stuck write to me and TIL come or
Sena some one but in the MAN, all you need to
TINS section has always had rain enough if only II IS
kept from running off the surface and evaporatinp
10 save 1t you must keep your sub-soi packed and
your surface your soil mulch, pulverized Begin in
the spring, as soon the ground is dry enough to
eu you on IT. follow your plow with the sub-so
rain Save the water, don't let it get away from
you mats the secret of the whole thing Keep
t baT. work up all summer and if you say you
nave the money to skip crop that year and give
oht uae ana energy to getting your soil into the
Tgght condition there isn't reason in the world
year. You won't need to depend on the weather E
ne work will be hard and steady dry farming was
never lntentsd for lazy man, Tut you and your
morse 1t is the results you are after and when Won
come to try it, you will find that you use less seed
in t Pgs Best crops tsrs than you did the old
ea.en would help even dry farmer, but, as you
say, you won't get that for some years yet"
oa hey ahy shook hands and Eldredge Brewster set
OF down the road. Then when he had gone half
dozen .eI rods, he turned and came back
Just one thing more" he said don't be talked
frnno u I'M inns Il wasn't SO pathetic, it would be
notion that methods which were good in Illinois
ald ONO and New England, must be good here
ana never stop to consider that there thew had tce
the tam fall. I've talked to such men and men WIZ
tii ten times what do about dry farming have
TAXED, and lectured to them, and shown them re-
SUITS and still they keep on in the same old way
year alter year. and fail The hope of the country Is
n y, inc young men. Don't give this up, or be talked
out Of IT. I'll pay the expenses if you fail; only if
you 20 as say, you won't fail Goodbye"
And this time he was really gone.
Joel set to work as soon as tha boi. -.
.e alg them evenings and at odd moments His
n9tner joined him in the study and later, after their
Gus had been harvested and, as anticnated had
proved almost total failure, she insisted that he
M brewsters suggestion and visit the Agri
Ti q. loilege and model farms, at Wapahoe
mat weeks trip to Joel revelation Co
ns over the grounds of the college with his friend
=" corn wheat sorghum potatoes, and sugar
Weather conditions exactly similar to tbos or
" own farm, seyentyfve miles away He saw. too
Ass room and laboratories in which were st',diei
sieIces which he had never known to have arv
,saf1ng upon farming and before he returned home
- - last counts had been yanquished and lie had
'laeed his order for his new tools. 4 ~ iiSu