The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-07-15
CHEER UP AND
PLANT FODDER
Not Yet too Late to Sow Oats and
Millet for HaY-Plant Speltz,
Rutabagas and Turnfps.

will say relative to the serious crop
situation now facing large areas Of
the northwest:
''It is idle to disguise the fact
that the crop condition over North
Dakota and contiguous territory is
more serious than at any time
since l9OO-more serious il fact,
over large areas, than during that
year of general drought and fail
ure. The most optimistic now
hope for a fifty per cent wheat
crop in the fickertail state, and
those closest to the situation will
be satisfied with forty per cent or
even less. Over large areas the
wheat is wholly gone, while over
areas equally large only the main
stem of the early sown wheat has
headed out, and the head is short.
The continuous dry, hot winds of
late June fastened maturity, and
the straw is frequently found too
short to be cut with the binder.
Early barley and oats suffer equal
ly with the wheat. Flax if rains
come during July, may yet make a
profitable crop, but from every in
dication the best that can be said
for the money crop of North Dako-
ia is that it is not a failure.
"a more serious phase of the
situation than even the practical
loss of the North Dakota grain
crop is the shortage Of hay and for
age. The grain losses are in q
sense local in character, the hay.
shortage is general. Minnesota
farmers are feeding their stock,
North Dakota has practically no
hay. The pastures Of Illinois, To-
wa, South Dakota, and as far east
as Ohio are reported short or fail
ing altogether, while over the
range country from the Montana
line south and westward into Utah
drought conditions prevail. The
result of this must be to force cat
tie, including much-needed breed
ing stock, onto the market in poor
condition.
Herein lies suggestion for our
drought : stricken North Dakota
readers. The credit of the North
Dakota farmer is good: let him use
it. to buy range stock to pasture
down his fields or let neighbors
where the crops have failed open
their fields to ranchers who will be
glad Of the chance to tit their stock
for market. This will require mon
ey in the first case mentioned but
tie careful buyer should be able
to make a fair profit on his fields
turned over to cattle or sheep.
The second plan will call for
neighborhood action, and probab.
" the sending Of q live agent into
the ranching country to get busi-
ness but it is there, and can be
had.
This is no time to lose heart.
The average farmer is living be-
hind his income, but he should
make every effort this year to at
least pay running expenses. The
first prime necessity is feed. Ifl
this is lacking remember that oats
Or barley cut green make good hay.
Wheat not worth harvesting is far
too good to throw away. Cut it
for hay. The corn cropis vet safe;
keep the cultivators going. Sow
some fall ryea good sized field Of
it-for late fall and early spring
pasture, in order to shorten the
feeding season. If your oat crop
has failed and You can got hold Of |
omesspelz (emmer) SOW some oft.
7 will ripen 90 quickly as any
known crop, and il the frost holds
sc = reasonable time il will ripen|
md furnish grain feed which when
ground, is nearly equal TO oats.
Sow oats and nillet for hay d.