The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-19
Who was it saad something about ,

| Who was 1t saAd something about q
crop failure in North Dakota?
II any one dA he or she had better
take a trip to the state capitol build
ing at Bismarck and look over the
assortment of grains and grasses of
all kinds and descriptions which have
been received by Commissioner w. q.
Giibreath Of the department of asri-
culture and labor in response to that
gentleman's announcement Of a few
weeks ago that prizes would be award
cd for the best collection of those
North Dakota products. Such a visit
will surely cause a sudden change of
opinion as to the crop failure in ques-
ton, and compel the belief that the
only requisites called for in this state
to secure abundant return for labor
expended in any year, no matter how
unfavorable weather conditions may
have been, are good seed and honest
cultivation.
1t has been the custom of the de-
partment OF agriculture for some years
past to offer substantial prizes about
this season of the year for the best
examples of the seasons growth, with
the object in view of securing rem
resentative exhibits to be displayed at
various state fairs in Wisconsin, In
diana, Iowa and Illinois. Each sue
ceeding year steadily increasing
number of entries has demonstrated
the Importance attached to this con-
test by our farmers. This season how
ever. the usual contest was announced
with something akin to trepidation on
the part of the commissioner, owing
TO the generally admitted fact that this
Is an off. year, making it appear prob
able that samples really worthy of our
great agricultural reputation might
not be procurable
Events have proven how utterly
groundless was such feeling. Never
before in the history of these compe-
tations have so many, varied and ex-
cellent samples of the different agri-
cultural products of the state been Of |
fered, and the work laid out for the |
Judges who made the awards Thurs |
day afternoon was indeed task call |
ng for rare discrimination and pains
taking application.
1t is not necessary here to 60 into /
l detailed account OF each exhibit. I
which, in view of the number of en- /
ries, would be wearisome infection /
IN the reader. Suffice it to say that /
'ut Of the 100 entries from all parts I
If the 10000 square miles of the states 1
area there was not a sim 4
gle sample but possessed merit and II
furnished an instructive object lesson 4
n what can be accomplished by care II
ul and intelligent culture. The en-
ries consisted of samples of wheat, II
ats, barley, rye, flax speltz, corn. al
alta. timothy millet, field peas, clover
nd an almost endless variety of ma
i've grasses, the whole constituting a
most complete and representative dis
lay of the varied products which our
ich soil will produce.
Three specially prominent character
sites of the samples are worthy of no.
Ice. These are the exceptional bright
ess, strength and freedom from all /
lngus growths of the straw; the fully
verage growth attained. notwith-
tanding the lack of precipitation dur
lg the 1910 growing season, and third,
ne plump, we'll filled heads of all the
rain. The great length attained by
ne native grasses should also be men
oned. These are qualities much de-
lred and expected in an average year,
ut that they should have developed to
UGH remarkable extent in a season