The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-09-03
N. D. men WERE
in FOREFRONT
THE STATE WAS WELL REPRE-.
sENTED AT THE DRY FARMING
MEETING IN TEXAS AND DEAN
SHEPHERD DELIVERED PRINCE
PAL ADDRESS OF MEETING.

Professor Shepperd, dean Of the
agricultural department of the Agri-
cultural college has just returned from
Dalhart, Texas, where he attended the
Dry Land Farming Association meet
ing which was held Aug. 2S to rs. In
the absence of the president and vice
president he was called on to make the
presidents address. Among other
things he spoke of the fine opportunity
that they had for doing experimental
work, in that they had no teaching to
do, nor could they be called on to at
tend farmers Institutes or fairs (they
are in the employ of the national gov
ernment).
This takes up so much of the time
of the men in the experiment stations
leaving but little time for doing ex-
perimental work.
He also called attention to the fine
opportunity that this meeting afford
ed for them to get acquainted with
the detail of the work from each other.
He also told them that it was well to
keep in mind the whole scope of the
agricultural work. The tendency
among scientific men who work in spe-
cial lines Is to get narrow. In this
work of dry farming they have to take
into account a good many other things
beside the filling of the soil. Other
factors are humus, crop rotation yields,
clover and alfalfa, corn and this brings
up the subject of live stock. So in
reality it will be necessary to keep
in touch with the whole agricultural
field with its many activities.
nF -
that was discussed was the relative
effectiveness of moisture. In making
careful comparisons of the vegetation
and of experiments the conclusion was
that two inches of rainfall is as effec-
tive in North Dakota as three in
Texas. The longer continued warm
feather makes longer open season for
evaporation to do on there. This is
very important fact. 1t means that
while the rainfall is not large in this
state yet 1t is more effective than one
would at first think. The rainfall at
Dalhart, Texas, is twenty-five inches
year. Applying the ratio two to
three to this leaves fourteen and one
half inches, or in other words, fourteen
and one-half inches of rainfall will
produce as much crop growth in this
state as twenty-five inches in Texas.
North Dakota was well represented
on the programme as in addition to
Professor Shepperd delivering the
presidents address the leading paper
on soil moisture and tillage was deliv-
cred by w. o. Whitcomb of the Will
liston station. Messrs. Waldron
and Clark of the Dickinson sub-sta-
ton delivered papers on alfalfa. The
following were also from North Da-
kota: J. G. ThyselI Of the Dickinson
o. A. Thompson and Clar-
ence Plath of the Edgeley sub station.
There were some fifty delegates pres
tons and the u. S. department of
agriculture.
The men from North Dakota had
their expenses paid by the U. S. gov.
eminent on account of the co-opera-
tive work that the government is car
rying on with the sub stations in this
state.
Professor Shepperd succeeded in
getting the government to cooperate
with the state at the Hettinger sta
ion. This means hat they will place
man there and will also furnish
much expensive apparatus and equip
ment, thus saving that much to the
state, and at the same time having the
use of them and the benefits Of the
results worked out.
On the return trip stops were made
at several Of the stations that are car
rying on this kind of work, giving the
North Dakota men chance to exam
inc the work that is being carried on
at other points.