The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-05-19


1909, and of bulletin No. 81, dealing
! with the causes OF deterioration ii
wheat yields, great interest has beer
taken in the matter by farmers, millers
elevator men and all persons directly
interested in agriculture" says Prof
II. L. Bolley in a communication just
made public.
Letters are received almost daily
asking the real purport of the So called
discoveries made here regarding the
wheat crop and the SOL.
In compliance to your request will
attempt to give a somewhat concise
statement of the present status of our
studies and indicate the specific bear
ings of the various experiments upon
wheat culture.
THE present status of the spring
wheat crop In the northwest While
the total annual output in bushels in
the three spring wheat states, is per-
haps as great as in any previous period,
even larger year by year, / think all
agree that this is due primarily to the
breaking up of new land areas and
not to increased yields per acre. Fur
Their, all, think, agree that the quality
or grain or berry is maintained only
upon the relatively new land areas of
the west and northwest prairies. Most
FARMERS are agreed that, in general,
there is constant deterioration in yield
per acre and in the quality of the berry
In the older wheat areas, as for ex-
ample in south Minnesota and in the
east and southeast counties of the Da-
kotas and particularly in the Red
River Valley, and in the older areas
| or Monitoba like conditions prevail
The grass or straw produced is ap-
parently as great as in previous years.
but is inferior in texture, strength and
color, while the grain produced is no
longer generally plump and of proper
amber color. This is especially true of
the Fife and Blue Stem varieties. II
is also noted by those who observe
closely that the new varieties intro
duced, as for example, the Durum types
and Velvet chaff, do well only for
year or two, then fall off rapidly in
the qualities of plumpness, hardness,
color and milling value, and finally aft
er but few years trial yield even less
per acre than the, bread wheats pre-
vlousiy mentioned. 1t is apparently a
fact that there are large areas or
regions in which the yield can hardly
be expected to exceed IL bu. per acre,
and is never expected to reach the so
10. per oushel in weight quality
Numerous Theories Advanced.
Numerous theories have been adj
vanced and are yet given for explana-
ton of these facts. Some beg the whole
question by the claim that constant
cropping has exhausted the land" 9th
ers that careless and incompetent till
age has placed the land in poor physi-
cal condition" Some more specifically
assume that available nitrogen and
humus have been withdrawn from the
soil and few assert that the phos-
fates are giving out. Others insist that
the Climate has changed, and vet
others lay most blame upon poor drain
age, etc., while the division of soils OF
the department of agriculture has pro-
posed the theory that the wheat crop
Kills itself by exuding poisons toxins
Observation in the fields throughout
the northwest during period of TWEEN
ty seasons convinces me that many of
these factors have some bearing in
special areas, but that in general they
do not apply. Practically all best
farmers of the Red river valley seem
convinced that something is wrong, but |
they cannot agree that the soil is chem
ically exhausted or that in general the |
tillage is worse than in early years. I /
agree with them, and was ready to do |
so ten years ago. These men, point out |
various evident facts. as for example. |
all farming tools are now of better |
quality; plows, harrows, tanning mills. |
manure spreaders, rollers, discs, weed |
ers, ETC. Never in the history of the /
valley have the big wheatfields been so /
well plowed and titled. Never in the |
history Of the state of North Dakota
have so many farmers placed their
grain in the ground in such careful /
manner and never have SO many men
carefully graded their grain or tried I
so hard to procure good seed for sew
Ing as have done so in the past few
years Yet, on the best titled fields,
whether on summer fallow, corn ground |!
DR. even new breakings of the valley, Il
The harvested grain s apt to be shirvel-
I'd, white bellied, black pointed for
" to f1fty-five pound stuff. School
ands of the eastern portions of the
state, virgin sod never previously i
broken, often does no better than the Il
surrounding old wheat areas Many Ii
armers have for several years testified
% this last fact which Is apparent to
he careful observer. 1t is evident that
he poor tillage," poor drainage"
chemical exhaustion" or toxin
heories, either severally or together,
'annot apply in all Of these cases.
Does Not Urge no Manure.
do not wish to be misunderstood.
10 not argue for constant cropping.
would not argue that soil cannot be
chemically. Il would not
Lrgue that manure should not be APP
lied. | do not argue that there are
lot many weedy and faulty farmed
arms, but do say that never in the
history of general wheat farming has
been so carefully and well done as
t present on the great farms of the !
)akotas and Minnesota There must !
therefore,, In consideration of the facts
amed above, be other more general !
easons for wheat deterioration in yield
er acre and in weight quality per y
ushel than is advocates in the general
heories previously mentioned.
Chief Cause of Deterioration.
/ here give what / take to the chief
ause of wheat deterioration. and ex-