The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-02-22
LAID
ON CLOVER TO-DAY
Its Part in Restoring Fertility
to Land Ably Depicted by
Speakers.

ee~ey 0SH1SOS0 w
Speakers.
Grand Forks today had the distinc-
ton of opening the first session of the
Red River Valley Corn and Clover
convention, an institution which will
hereafter be a permanent feature in
the life of the farmers in this section
of the northwest. The opening meet
ing. held in the Jack auditorium,
brought out very good sized au-
dtence, and clover was the subject dis
cussed by the several speakers in at
tendance.
In the past thirty years, from time
to time, farmers Of the valley have
been experimenting somewhat with
clover. but in the early stages they
were for the most part unsuccessful.
1t Is only in comparatively recent
years that the growers have been re-
warded by success, and with their sue
cess those farmers who have not tried
the raising Of the product, want in
formation on the subject 1t Is to
supply this information that the Red
River Valley Corn and Clover conven-
ton has been created.
Corn has been grown in North Da-
kota for quite number of years,
first successes in 1t being recorded
back as far as 1850 when this soun-
try was just beginning to be settled
up. Now 1t is being grown over the
entire state. o. G. Gregg. father OF
farmers Institutes and one of the
speakers in attendance at the conven-
ton, expressed his surprise today at
the remarkably fine corn that he has
seen in several sections of the state
that he has visited. He predicts that
North Dakota is destined to become
one of the greatest corn growing
states in the union.
The splendid prospects of success
full corn growing in the future is an
other cause that lead to the calling
OF the convention. and it will be one
OF the factors in continuing the sue
cess OF the institution. '.' ''7'' -.'''
The Morning Session.
That the most good might be OBJ
talned out of the meeting, and that
such subjects as are of particular
interest to the farmers might be ta':-
en- up and discussed, no set program
was arranged for the convention. 1t
was opened at 10 o'clock by Superin-
tendent T. A. Hoverstad, who briefly
outlined the purpose that the conven-
tion had been launched for.
He then took up and discussed, in
a brief manner, several phazes of
Nor Dakota development in the past
\ foUy nra af tho orkf In, ~,
interesting features of development
was shown in the rapid advances of
the Missouri slope country. section
ag ure.
Many years ago. when farmers ill.,
stitutes were first held in the state,
one was held at Dickinson. Ranch
men raised their voices against the
institute, saying that the talk of agri-
culture was unwise, and should not
be indulged in.
Mr.. Hoverstad, at that time, was
disposed to believe that it was only
selfishness upon the part of the
ranchmen that lead to making such
statements. Lately. however. he has
been. convinced tina. the men who
came to him in the early days were
really sincere in their efforts to do
away with the institute. and that they
did believe that the country would
never be fit for anyth'"g but ranch
ing
In looking over that country some
time ago. and in speaking with resi-
dents, Mr.. Hoverstad said that the
land owners were of the opinion that
the condition had greatly changed. ',
the early days hot southwestern winds
practically burned up the cre :. Now
these winds seem to have been done
away.
Settlers Responsible.
In looking over the weather rec
ords of the past few years. the speak
er said that no great change was to
/ be found between the conditions d
number of years ago and those OF to-
day. About the same amount of rain
| fell, the winds came al about the
same time of the year and with APP
parently as much heat and at as high
a rate of speed that they used to
travel.
But it is the settler who has made
the change. Years ago when the land
| Ilcu WCIC CShuluS 6ISuS Oh Vuho VI
immigrants westward. the speaker
had been impressed with the idea that
grave mistake was being made, but
now he finds that it has been the
salvation of the country. These set
tiers have improved the ground. They
have broken 1t and the moisture fall
ing each year, instead of running off,
is soaked up into the earth. Year
after year this has been going OH.
till at the present, time a great reser-
voir of moisture has been laid up be-
meath the surface of the ground.
Now, when ,-.e winds come from
the south, they are laden with mois-
ture, and therefore they do not kill
the grain as they did in the early
days. The farmers OF the southwest
are breaking the soil deep. and by
their methods Of tilling are rapidly
al <Iox 10