The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-07-24

A committee of the board OF the
agricultural college is inspecting the
substations. The following went to
Dickson on Friday: Nugent, Sanford
Elliott, Yoder and Shepherd. They
Inspected the Dickinson substation on
Saturday. Another feature of the day
was farmers institute held on the
Dickinson experiment station grounds.
During the forenoon the farmers
We're taken about the fields to see the
experimental work. At noon a mic
mic dinner in the grove was partaken
or. In the afternoon the institute ses-
sion was held.
Professor Shepperd in his talk spoke
Of the things that he had seen and
interpreted what 1t meant for that Sec
ton and for North Dakota. one oil
the things that he remarked on was
the difference In crop due to the diff
ferent ways of preparing the land
The value Of the summer fallow and OF
corn. This preparation is one that can
be given in one year. 1t shows what
an opportunity the farmer has il he
viii but take advantage Of it. He next
referred to the alfalfa experiments and
what he had seen there. (This is the
| largest alfalfa experiment carried on
In the U. S. and the u. s. government
| co-operates with the agricultural coll
lege in carrying 1t on The luxuriance
of the growth Of some Of the varieties
demonstrates what this plant is go
ing to do for the state.
The experiment in breeding up by
selection was very interesting. In one
OF these experiments alfalfa seed had
been sown that was only partially
hardy. Seed had been secured from
it. That is from the plants that were
hardy enough to go through the win
ter. This seed was then sown on n
plat while on the next one some Of
the original seed was sown. The first
plot had good stand while that from
the original seed was very poor. This
shows the value of northern grown
seed.
In talking of stock the professor
urged. the farmers even If they were
short Of feed to keep the cows as these
would be the best means that they
would have for making a living for
them. He also suggested that where
the crop was burned up that the land
should be disced at once so as to put
it in shape for saving moisture for
next years crop. In case they were
short OF forage it might be possible to
disc in the forenoon and to let the
horses forage in the afternoon. In that
way they could practically feed Them
selves
Professor Waldron spoke on fruit
growing. He has a number OF plum
and cherry trees growing, that are now
bearing an abundance OF good fruit He
called attention to how easy it was to
have fruit IL they would only give II
the necessary care. One OF the first
requirements of the fruit tree as well
as of other trees is that the grass
and weeds be kept away from them.
These If allowed to grow use up the
moisture and the tree can not do well.
He urged the farmers that they try
some fruit.
Supt. +. A. Hoverstad spoke on the
value of such meetings. Where the
farmers can come together not only
to get information but also to have a
social time. He thought that there
was nothing quite so good for having
that social time as the picnic dinner.
There is the more need of it in the
newer sections too as the farm are
often far apart. Then again he thought
that the farmers need to more and
more get together not only to learn
from experts but also to learn from
each other. In the community there
are those who are making good sue
cess with different crops and stock and
the community would be much bene-
fited IL this information could be
brought before all.
On Monday the committee win in
spect the Hettinger substation on
Tuesday the Edgeley station and on
Wednesday the Mcleod demonstra-
ton farm.