Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-12-05
ANOTHER CONDITION WITH RE-
Ference TO FLAX UNDER
SNOW.

otVO"s
Letters asking how to save the
flax that was buried by the snow
fall continue to come to the Agricul-
tural college. The following letter
and the answer given IS here furn-
ished as matter of news with the
hope that it may aid other parties
in thinking out how best to save the
crop which they may happen to have
under the snow:
"We are cropping some land in
Saskatchewan, and this year it was
into flax The fax was cut and left
in wind rows, without being bound
and the snow came before we could
do anything with it. II the weather
is very severe it is just possible we
will not be able to touch it at all but
would like to get your advice in the
matter If we could gather it. would
it be advisable to put it in a stack
like hay? Just before it froze up we
had considerable rain 50 that the
fax was rather wet and we were
wondering whether under these cir.
cumstances, it would be safe to put
it in a stack, or whether it would be
better to leave It on the ground just
where it is?
81 am advised that most of the snow
in Canada goes off by evaporation in.
stead of by rain. If We have these
conditions next spring it will proba-
bly, not hurt the flax any to leave it
right where it is until that time but
if we should have heavy spring rains
think it might be safer in the stack.
We have some 400 acres of it alto
gether, and any information you can
give US will certainly be a.prec:at-
3D.
Yours very truly,
w. s. Mclaughlin. :"
Answer given was as follows:
w. S. Mclaughlin & Co..
Minneapolis, MINI.
You have asked difficult question.
l think you can have reasonably good
courage with regard to the possibil-
ity of saving that fax for oil purpose.
for in past years we have examined
many samples of fax seed which the
farmers have taken out from under
the snow. Some secured it In good
condition after the snow went off In
the spring; others shook out the
straw and threshed it while The snow
was vet loose and dry during the cold
weather.
Your information is, in the main.
correct. Usually anywhere north and
west from Devils Lake enc can ex-
pect rain although think sometimes
the latter is the case. Even then In
that region the soil is apt to dry of
quite quickly.
If you had not said that the rain
fell on the ground just before the
snow did my advice would be to 70
into it and shake it up. put 1t into
loose stocks and commence thresn-
ing during cold weather provided the
fax was ripe and ready to t1resh
when showed under. However, II 1t
was green or not thoroughly ripe
this might not succeed. II It were
mine and the snow were reasonably
dry and loose upon it would send
men in there with forks and fork 1t
out of the wind row into loose, hay
cock-like stocks not so large but
what they could be handled over
next spring should there come rain;
not so large but that they would es'
sentially dry out by the wind and
sun, at least by simply tipping over.
I would not advise stocking up into
extremely large stocks or into stacks
If the straw were not cured before
it was covered by the snow. or II
wet snow or rain froze on to The
straw so as to make it iTDosibl: to
shake the ice and snow on. for nav
straw vets up, rots, moulds, and
decays easily. The straw and grain
would be apt to spoil If placed IN
larger masses than it would De pos
sible to handle over.
There is one advantage which
would come from placing the flax IN
to small stocks this winter. IL
would allow you to get at it in the
spring and get if off so you would
be able to use the land for plow-
ing. If left scattered over the
ground until thoroughly dry In the
spring it may delay your spring op-
erat:ons on that land.
If the grain is threshed with con
siderable loose snow and Ice IN 1t or
course it will be the part Of wisdom
to screen out the ice chunks, or, at
least. store the seed in such manner
that it can be handled over to pre-
vent heating in the bin.
Hoping that the suggestions IN
this letter may aid you somewhat
and suggesting that, after all. you
will have to settle the matter your
self by actually making an examina-
Ion of the conditions in the field, !
am Yours respectfully,
H, G., BOLLEY,