The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-12-08

the study Of storing up the moisture
Is given much attention. Flowing the
soil deep loosens it up, so that what
rain does fall may be stored UP there.
in. New York state has a rainfall Of
from IS to 40 inches yearly, yet on
account Of the lay OF the land, half
of it runs off. North Dakota mas an
average rainfall of about 20 inches.
If we can manage to store up practi-
cally all. of this moisture, we will be
as well off as New York state. How
can this be done?
The average year, one notices that
the plants in the dead furroW do not
make as good growth as elsewhere in
the field, because the soil has not been
1oosened up, therefore the moisture
cannot be stored in it, SO we'll. But
-plowdng deep, is not all that is
necessary in storing up the moisture,
and escape into the air, the same as
kerosene can travel up thru q lamp
wick. The soil must be narrowed, to
cut off this escape. narrowing has
the same effect on the soil, as cork
ing up bottle. .
The professor spoke of Campbells
sub surface packer, and explained the
principle of its working. The packer
has wedge shaped projections which
are pressed into the soil at deptl
of four or five inches, leaving the soil
loose on top but packing it beneath
the surface.
81 would not advise the use of the
sub surface packer for fall blowing.
which will be cropped in the spring., -
Mr.. Palmer said.
Mr.. Smith, Surrey farmer brought
up an important question. He said he
had had some experience with deep
blowing. He had gone down three
inches farther than the old fur1Ow and
had difficulty in pulverizing the new
soil thus turned up. Mr.. Palmer said
that one should not plow more than
one inch deeper each time. 1t Is we'll
to follow the binder with disc, If
the fall blowing is done in a months
time, it will be found to work UP nice
and mellow.
He spoke of the advantages ana
disadvantages of following. 1t kills the
weeds and stores up the moisture, but
lends nothing to the soil 1t merely
puts the soil in the best kind of con-
dition for getting that which is yet
in it. BY planting corn or potatoes,
one can still kill the weeds, store up
the moisture and one does not have
mis- land idle. Corn is fairly sure
crop, no matter how dry the year.
D. M. Shorb asked how to prepare
the corn or potato ground for the crop
to follow and was told to merely disc
it WE'LL
Most of the Surrey farmers have
had experience with new land. The
grass had grown on the LAND and the
organic matter had been stored up in
the soil for thousands Of years. The
farmers have had good crops, because
the organic matter has not been ex-
nausted yet, however, they have been
talking something out Of the soil,
which they are not putting back. True
some manure the land, but that is q
slow way Of restoring the soil. We
must have organic matter because it
helps hold moisture, helps hold plant
food, it makes plant food, and hold
soil grains together so the soil will
hot drift. We must watch out for this
when the rainfall is light Bare fall
low uses up the organic matter. What
IS the best way of restoring this or
ganic matter? The cheapest and best
way, Mr.. Palmer says is by growing
clover, timothy or alfalfa. He prom
ises TO speak of the growing of
clover latter.
DO you advocate narrowing fall
was asked, to which he
neplied, "No. That would leave the
soil too level to catch the winters
snow" m.s
At the opening of the afternoon ses.
sion, the Surrey band gave an enjoy
able concert. This organization Is i'm
proving nightly, and Is considered
one of the best bands in this part Of
the state.
The question of potato culture was
taken up by Prof. Hoverstad. This
was important inasmuch as the Surrey
farmers are already growing large
fields of the tubers, and they Wi
grow more than ever next year.
Mr.. Hoverstad took UP the work in
every phase, from the standpoint of |
l large raiser. In the first place, one
wants very sharp knife for cutting
The seed. Buy kitchen knife for a