Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-08-26
FLAX CROP WORTHY OF
CLOSE CONSIDERATION
PROF, ROLlEY ISSUES VALUABLE
PAPER ON SITUATION IN
NORTHWEST.
Crop is Gradually Losing Ground and
is Too Valuable to be Dropped from
the List Of North Dakota Products

Prof. Bolley has issued a paper on
the flax crop of the northwest that is
herewith reproduced. 1t deserves the
undivided attention of all who are in
terested in the welfare of the agri.
cultural interests Of the state. 1t fol.
lows:
The Importance of the fax crop to
the northwest is one worthy of your
closest consideration. Statistics Of
the crop indicate that it is gradually
losing ground in the northwest In the
same sense as it has done in every
other state in the union. The north
west. and particularly North Dakota,
can i'll afford to lose so valuable a
crop from their short list Of available
crops for general farming. The rec
ords of this crop show that it has
been one OF the great money.makers
of North Dakota and previously did
equally we'll for Minnesota and other
older states.
have become convinced through
my studies that it Is not necessary
that the flax seed crop should be lost
to the northwest, and shall try to
help the farmers save the crop much
in the same sense as the wheat crop
has been saved from the ravages Of
loose smut, and the potato crop from
it's various enemies. North Dakota
alone has annually produced approx
mately half of the flax seed crop Of
the United States land considering the
ruling prices for the seed the impor.
lance of the crop is plainly evident.
At this time can only say that the
flax crop is not destructive to the fer.
tility of the soil, and that with proper
handling the new soils Of the north
west need not be infected with the
diseases which have driven the crop
out of the soils in tho older regions,
and that with proper handling the
crop can b. placed into profitable
growth upon the older lands where
the diseases now exist. This can only
be done by a careful consideration Of
the methods of planting, by the &C.
lection Of pure, clean seed, by disin'
fecting the seed before sowing it, and
Z, by conducting proper rotations to
keep the soil free from the growth
of the fax root fungi which may
chance to reach it. The Importance
Of the question of pure seed and Of
keeping the soil free from the per.
sistent parasites which destroy the
crop is so great that If overlooked
the crop must certainly eventually be
lost in any particular neighborhood.
II a farmer fails to treat his wheat
for the prevention of smut, he may
have to sell it as rejected wheat, but
he has not injured his land. If he
fails to treat his flax seed for the
prevention of the root diseases he not
only eventually loses his crop but in.
jures his land for the growth of fax
thereafter. Furthermore, he places
the lands of his neighbors in jeopardy,
as the parasites which rot off the
roots of the flax plant and cause wilt
live in the soil for a number of years.
The department of botany of the
North Dakota experiment station pro-
poses to aid all persons interested in
procuring clean seed for sowing pur-
poses by keeping bureau Of informa.
ton. We hope to be able to furnish
weekly to anybody who so desires
list of seedsmen and farmers who can
furnish fax seed which is fit for SOW
ing purposes, and further upon re-
quest will supply information to any
farmer who expects to SOW flax as to
just how to go to work in order to
disinfect the seed and prepare the
seed bed. If you are flax grower
and wish to become part of this
pure seed and pure soil organization,
send in your name and address and
tell us whether you want seed or
whether you have seed to sell. II
possible we will inspect your crop as
it stands in the field. Otherwise, you
can send us samples or we will in
spect it in the bin.
! Any person who wishes to buy clean
seed may thus have opportunity to
feel reasonably sure that he is not
going to run so much risk spelling
his land for fax culture as in the
past. This bureau of information will
be open to every citizen of the state
and of the northwest. Send in your
name and help us boost the fax crop
to at least double its present yield
of seed. Remember, if the seed crop
is lost that the future possibilities of
the fiber industry are practically lost
also. If this industry is lost, every
hOdy will nav more for oil. for paint