The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-01-21

method which so many employ pro-
duce the extra five bushels? Possibly
not, though it might produce { ten
bushels more per acre. 1t would at
least be worth while to give it trial
Let us not forget that the less a
bushel of wheat costs, the more profit
there is in it. In making this calcu-
lation everything, including probable
certainty, must be taken into the ac-
account Everyone knows that when
the season is not the best-and many
are not--the well-tilled fields largely
outyield the poorly titled ones. In fact.
they always do, but i'm bad years they
very greatly outyield the poorly titled
fields. 1t is safe assumption there
fore, in my opinion, to estimate twice
the profits, If one third more labor s
put upon the land, provided, however.
1t is applied at the right time and in
the right way The waste or loss
to the farmers of this state from not
applying this extra third more labor.
in tho right place and at the right time
is such that / shall not hazard figures
to express it. / am stifl anxious to
retain your esteem and not for worlds
would l sacrifice your friendship. But
you are losing lot of money by not
giving your land the best of tillage.
Our Demonstration Farms.
Our demonstration farms may be cit
ed as case in point. They are scat
tered over II counties, embracing ev-
cry variety soil and climate of the
state. They get nothing but good ped
igreed seed, good tillage, the crops are
regularly rotated and manure is APP
piled once every five years. Clover
or Canada field peas also are grown
once every five years. Nothing In the
way of crop or labor is put on the land
but that every farmer could, and doubt
less should, put on his land. No magic
is employed. Just intelligent labor and
time, together with manure. The re-
suit is that on the six farms operated
for four years wheat averaged 26.49
bushels per acre. on the the six farms
operated three years, wheat averaged
1922 bushels, per acre, while on the
nine farms started last spring, where
the good effects of rotation, corn, Glow
er manure. and good tillage has not
had time to show material results. thel
yield was 144 bushels per acre.
The average yield of wheat fo the
state was 1877 bushels per acre
However, had the average yield Of |
wheat throughout the state equaIed the
average of these Il demonstration
farms, the nine started only last spring |
included, the farmers OF this state
would have produced 100000 bushels
more than they did produce and would i
have had about $35,O00.O00.0O0 more
to handle.
Is it Worth While7
The question isis 1t worth while?
One thing is certain. the taxes must /
be paid whether the crop is large or
small, and the ground must be plowed,
In season or out of sea son
good or Ill. The years rout-
inc of work and worry. Of hope and
fear must be lived through
The good wife must be cook just as
many meals and wash just as many
dirty socks and shirts, whether the
yield of heat is ~ or Is bushels per
acre. Why not, therefore, eliminate as
far ais possible the element of chance
by farming fewer and farming them
better, and Ina many ways save what
has hitherto been wasted, whether from
growing weeds. from unsheltered Il
from rearing scrub grain
scrub stock, from careless tillage, or
from lack Of rotation, manure on clover.
Oh, the Bother
once more and finally the crlticl
says, G.h, the bother Well, brother.
It Is bother. 1t Is bother here and there.