The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-05
SHEPHERD HAS PAPER ON
DRY FARM CROP ROTATION

be the practice in dry land districts
causes most weed seeds to decay and
make far less exposure of the land
through that very common course of
seeding ii.
Humus (partially decayed vegetable
matter-the essential element in peat(
is a great substance to hold moisture
TO make ground friable and to pre-
vent drifting. Humus is added in two
ways; first by adding stable manure:
second by adding green matter; third
by changing crops so as not to ex-
haust the supply of it which the wild
grass and wild animals have put into
1t during the 100 years that have past
before 1t came to us. Humus con-
1alns plant food, which makes a crop
grow rapidly and 1t has the sponge
ike effect of holding moisture. It
also has the property of making soil
work up well-it improves soil for
making soil mulches.
Conservation Of Moisture,
The conservation of moisture in dry
land farming is an immediate neces-
sity The fertility will last for some
time and the weeds and insect nests
are items OF future contingency. but
moisture conservation must begin
when the soil is turned. Moisture a
crop must have to produce at all and
1t is prime necessity on new as we'll
as on old land. Cultivated crops will
bring about this result in MANY dis
trlcts. Potatoes and root crops must
be struck from the list Of rotation
crops in some districts or special pro-
vision must be made against the drift
Ing OF the soil. Cron may not be
success in all dry land districts and
there may be some sections which
cannot spare the moisture necessary
to produce a cultivated crop, where
such conditions exist, the dry land
farmer must adopt the summer tiIIspe
methods So successfully followed in
the Canadian Northwest, a process of
frequent tillage during the growing
season which will maintain constant
Gust blanket over the entire surface
is necessity in dry land culture.
There Is special harrow with shade
like shovels which loosens the entire
surface to depth of three or four
inches, which is especially ADAPTED for
maintaining a soil mulch. The ma
chine is made in sections like a har-
row and can be fitted out for a two or
four horse team as the owner NAV
desire.
Diversity of Crops.
Cropping with a diversity of grains
forage crops, roots, and grasses allows
few seasons to pass without ONE cron
on the farm doing well. The time of
stress with the dry land farmer ia the
season when the single crop he has
sown does poorly-and such seasons
come for each crop A year of time
to support a family and to keen nm
running expenses without any income
Is formidable thing and one to avoid
IL possible. The farmer should not AL
low an interest charge to be one of the
obligations he has to meet and there
is no surer way of providing against
1t than to have several crops on his
fields at time and above all a type
of crops that require live stock to
consume them. Live stock can be
Kept and carried well by the thinking
dry land farmer through any season.
and they not only supply an income
themselves but they help every field
of grain, grass, forage and roots to
maintain high yield or increase 1t
Live stock require the crops that pre-
vent soil drifting and they supply the
stable manure for humus and fertili-
ty.
Plant diseases are held in check by
a change OF crops and the farmer Is
thus prevented from becoming ac-
quainted with many a serious foe to
farming progress. A wheat disease
does not thrive on corn nor corn
trouble on potatoes, neither does thu
disease of fax attack the grass nor
those of grass root crops.
The system OF planning a varied
cropping system for each Individual
field is right In principle and a safe
rule in practice
Advantase Socially.
Peculiarly enough 1t improves the
social conditions In community. Thal
mixed farmers remain longer In a
than those who grow a |
single crop IL the universal experience