The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-02-17

Contributed by d. s. Wolfe:)
What a Small Farmer Can Do.
| (By. Prof. Thos Shawl
The large farm Is SO common II
Dakota that the small farmer in thu
strict sense OF the term is seldom
found. The ordinary conception O.
things pertaining to the size o.
farms would find NO place for the
small farmer under Dakota condi
tons and yet such a one has his
will become more and more in evi.
dence with the passing Of years.
A small farm located a few miles
from Mayville, NJ D., shows wha,
can be done by handling q small
piece or land, even under the extern
sive conditions that prevail in North
Dakota. This small piece of land
covers 16 acres Of which five acres
are rented. 1t is owned by l.. S.
Thorpe. The owner grows various
kinds of vegetables and small fruits,
but he gives most attention to the
growing of corn, onions and potatoes
Mr.: Thorpe has given much atten-
ton to the growing of Golden Dent
corn. OF this variety he has grown
more than 70 bushels to-. the acre.
AT the exhibit of farm products made
in connection with the grain growers
convention held at Fargo in January
Loot Mr. Th0rno ovpvor1o1 first
prize in its class on this corn, and
first over all varieties for the ten best
ears exhibited at the show. Mr..
.horpe also Won grand champion sill
yer cup on this corn. The cup was
valued at $42. He won first also for
best ten ears of Minnesota No. 10.
1t was intimated to Mr.. Thorpe by a
certain SEED house Nhat he could
have 500 for the prize winning ten
ears of Golden Dent, but he would
not cnosider the offer. He knows
full well the value Of such corn for
purposes of reproduction.
Mr.. Thorpe usually grows about a
half an acre of onions The yield
has never been less than 200 bushels
per acre. The favorite varieties are
the Red Globe and the Yellow Globe.
Usually the price obtained is not less
than $1.O0 per bushel in, Wholesale
lots. Z.
The crop is planted as follows:
The ground is p1oweu in the fall.
Decomposed manure is applied be-
fore blowing. From 6 to loads are
put on the half acre. The Land is
plowea about Z inches deep. In the
spring the land is worked up we'll
with the cultivator and harrow. 1t
is then rolled and later is smoothed
with clod crusher. 1t is that form
Of plank crusher in which the planks
lap ON one another. The <crusher Is
run over just before planting the
crop. It leaves the ground quite
smooth and fills up even, the hoof
prints made by the horses The seed
is sown with a Planet, Jr., making
the rows about IA inches apart.
From IL to 2 pounds Of seed are
sown per acre. Home grown SEED
is now used. But two crops are TAX
en- in succession on the same land.
The cultivation is done by hand !:
The onions are thinned from to 4
inches in, the line of the row. The
hand cultivation is kept up as. long
as practicable. The crop Is pulled
by hand. It is left three days on
the ground to dry. 1t is then put in
a drying shed which is the upper
floor of a building. Any not market
ed are kept in shallow bins in a eel
Lar. The return from this crop is at
the rate of more than 5000 per acre.
One of the finest things about this
little farm is the training which 1t
furnishes to the young family as
they grow up. AS evidence OF this
it may be stated that Noel, the son
of Mr.. Thorpe, now II years old, won
gold medal when ten years old to1
the best ten ears of corn shown al
the Hillsboro fair. He also won from
the 1908 crop second prize for ter
ears of Golden Dent shown at Fargo
The influence of such training Wi.
follow the boy through life. II
would be impossible for such a one
to become a slipshod farmer.
Here We have man who Is max
ing a good living for himself ant
family who owns but II acres OF land
In instances not a few. in the same
uakota, farmers have failed Wn'
owned or who at least had. in pos
session for time 800 acres OF Land
Zone of the fine things about tn
small farm is that it enables the far
mer to do his own work. He ma!
thus get rid of the ,perplexities ina
come from having to depend mucl
/ on hired labor, which during recen
years has become nightmare U
many farmers.-The Dakota Farmer
Here is good way Of breaking VI
the meat trust. We know OF a lam
ily in Minot who have just hfteel
full blood Plymouth Rock hens, an