The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-01-19

| the cultivated legumes do today. Even
In the extreme western part of the
state botanists have Identified thirty
to forty different kinds of leguminous
| plants. In measure this accounts
for the fertility of the virgin soil. We
alsoh ave learned that wild animals
roamed over these prairies in very
large numbers when the early settlers
came here. This had probably taken
place for countless ages before the
white man came into the country.
Wherever these wild animals. like the
buffalo and antelope, died their car
cases decayed and this, also. accounts
for part of the fertility I'm the soil, es-
pecially the phosphoric acid We also
found that the prairie grasses were
very frequently burned Off, destroying
probably some of the fertility. but the
potash Of the soil was retained. Grasses
grew every year and these decayed at
the close of the season and helped to
make the humus for the soil for the
succeeding crops. There Is no won
der that large amount of plant food
was available and the soil was in good
condition for the production Of a good
grain crop.
Shipped Out Much Fertility.
When man settled on these lands
conditions changed. The wild animals
were destroyed, the virgin soil was
broken UP so the grasses and legumes
did no longer grow on the soil prairie
fires discontinued and grain crops were
being produced in large amounts. and
these, ever since the first settlers came
in, have been shipped out of the state,
taking away every year millions of doll
lars OF fertility. The amount or live
stock In our state today may be just
as large as the number OF wild animals
In early days, but these are also ex-
portde from the state, and IL we wish.
to buy back again the fertility in the
form Of commercial fertilizers, such as
steamed bone meal, we have to pay a.
large price per ton.
This practice Of selling the grain
away from the state is not to be crit
icised. II has been matter or ineces-
sity. and as result North Dakota is
a very wealthy state today. There
was enough fertility so that North
Dakota could spare good deal. but
this practice cannot continue for an In
AN7AAAiAeE pe1AOu VI IlEt16s5 his does not
mean that grain growing win discon-
tinne. Probably as much grain will be
grown In the future as there has ever
been in the past IL not more, and 1t can
be done with safety.
In conversation with Professor Ladd
Of the agricultural college, he informs
me that there II 40 necessity to dis
courage the farmers from growing
grain, but give them all the encourages
ment possible. How then can they
grow grain and receive theif cash re-
turns for 1t, and still not lose the fer
tiiity OF the land? Professor Ladd,s
explanation of this ID very simple, and
is q cause for great comfort when we
produce crop of wheat, we have both
wheat and screenings. These screen
ings should be separated from the
wheat and retained on the farm. IN
stead of shipping the wheat from the
state as Is now the case we should I1aev
mills SO that the grinding can be done
In this state and simply tale -four sold,
but the bran and the shorts retained.
The chemist tells us the ingredients
most necessary TO retain in the state
II more largely found In the bran and
shorts and 1t Is only a small amount
that II found In the -four. Ii ID -four
that the rest OF the country Is lii need
Of, and that ~ the thing that North