The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-06-11


broken up to provide farms for the
newcomers who have fiocked and are
hooking into the northwest by the
thousands. The Red river valley has
about its usual proportion of grain
acreages, although there probably is a
small increase in the amount of corn
and live stock that will be turned out
this year. There will be more pro-
ducts to sell and more people in North
Dakota and Montana to patronize the
merchants than ever before.
Crop Conditions Nearly Perfect,
Inc crop experts from the College of
Agriculture agree that conditions at
present could not be much better for
maturing fine yield of small grain
ana small grains are the mainstay of
North Dakota's present prosperity. The
warm weather of several weeks ago
enabled the farmers to get the seeding
done early. The subsequent frosts and
cold have been a benefit rather than a
detriment to the crop outlook. The
cold has not been severe enough to
interfere with the growth underground
The result is that the grain is deeply
and very well rooted, a condition that
promises the best of results from the
rains of the past week and the sun
shine that may be expected during the
coming weeks. While the cold. back
ward season may appear bit discour-
aging to the settler who has Just come
from the south or east, the natives and
crop experts know that the conditions
scarcely could be improved.
1t is reported that there has been
slight damage to flax in some portions
OF the state as result of the cold. Bur
the injury is not serious. The ONLY
untaVorable prospect was that of a few
days ago around Larimore and in some
parts OF the Sheyenne valley. where
there is tendency of the soil to blow
during dry weather. The rains of the
last few days-and the weather has
been showery throughout the state
during five days-have disposed of that
and in addition have added to the gen
eral store of moisture needed to ma
ture the grain crop.
Don't Need Much Rain.
While the rainfall in North Dakota
and parts of Montana is not so great
as farther east and south, there is a
supply ample for the needs of the
crops. The farmers are learning that
what western North Dakota needs is
not more rain, but intelligent handling
of the soil to get the full benefit of the
moisture that is supplied by nature
each season. The supply is ADEQUATE
If handled properly
Ihose in charge of the subexperi-
ment stations of the agricultural COL
lege have demonstrated that the soil.
conditions are admirably ADAPTED TO
raising crops with minimum of mois-
lure. The blue clay subsoil is almost
as lrnperVlous to water as is a porce-
lain dish. If the soil is properly cul-
tIVated the rain soaks in, but does not
get through the stratum of CLAW. IF
the surface is property handled there
VIII De blanket Of finely worked earth
that Will prevent evaporation. All the
moisture from the SHOWS. of the winter
goes into the roots of the grain instead
and the rains of other seasons then
OF into the air or deep down into the
ground, and the result is a hummer
crop on half or a third of the noistnre
obtained in other parts of the conn
try. oo11i-
The soil is Of such character that A.
aosorbs moisture rapidly. The ground
III North Dakota and eastern Montana
80 alSo generally level and there is
little or no run-off, the rain soaks in.
Inc run-off in New York state is 40
per cent OF the precipitation, which ay-
erages about forty inches. In other
words sixteen inches of New York rain
goes OF as fast as it falls. More soaks
ooWn to be carried off by underground
water courses, still more evapora+es
Inc result is that in New York with
torty inches, in st. Paul with annroxi-
mately thirty inches the Vegetation
ooes not get the advantage of any more
moisture than is possible in western
North Dakota with thirteen and a half
inches OF rain in year 1t is NOT how,
much falls that counts alone but how
1t is possible to handle the supply. For
example, there are districts in lamar
with an annual precipitation of fiftv
lncnes where it Is necessary to resort
TO irrigation to get a crop-all on ac-
count or the character of the soil.
Not Dry Farming-Good FARMING.
The experts at the college of agricuI-
ture have proved on the twenty four
demonstration farms and at the experi-
ment stations throughout North Dako-
Ia that the state not only gets plenty of
ram to mature the best sort of crops of
the varieties adapted to this latitude
put that the surface and subsoil are
admirably adapted TO the conservation
OF that moisture. The science of maxi
ing use Of that rainfall, the moisture
In the soil is known farther east as
dry farming. AS a matter of fact IL is
not dry farming, 1t is good farming
working the farm in accordance with
existing conditions The North Da-
kotans do not take kindly to the term
dry farming" as it sounds arid and
there are no dry farms in North Da-
kota Some of the farmers may be dry
but as 1t is there is no occasion for any
dry fields.
A striking example of the extent to
which the term dry farming, is. a
misnomer was furnished to those
aboard the Northern Pacific's Better
Farming special train who visited the