The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1911-07-06
MONEY IN DAIRYING
Close Relation Between Grain
and Cattle Raising.
With Glover to Furnlss Protein and
Corn Carbohydrate Material Cheap
Balanced Ration Is Easily
Secured.
(Ry q. L, MARTIN)

(Ry g. L. MARTIN.)
There appears to be a close relation
between grain growing and live stock
raising in the northwest, which &C
counts largely for the increased pop
ularity Of dairying. Formerly the
whole northwest was a grazing coun-
try populated by thousands of cattle,
which each year supplied the eastern
markets. Then came the period of
settlement which gradually reduced
the ranges and extended the boun-
dairy of cultivated reas. During the
period the live stock industry gradu-
ally gave place to extensive grain
farming. Much of the land has been
cropped more or less continuously
ever since with the result that in
many places the virgin fertility of the
soil is so badly depleted that grain
growing is no longer practical mol
profitable.
Just now we are entering upon a
third stage-that Of a diversified
farming. With constant cropping of
the soil grain yields have become
very low, and fields are extremely
foul with weeds. Because of these
conditions the farming methods mllst
change. Everywhere throughout the
grain region farmers realize this year
as never before that two things must
come to pass in order to insure profit
able grain yield and to rid the fields
of weeds. These are crop rotation
and stock raising.
It has been very strikingly demon.
strated in many places the past sea-
son where grain crops have followed
some kind of cultivation that nearly
double the yield of grain was OBJ.
tanned. This is especially true where
small grains succeeded the corn crop.
The cultivation of the corn serves as
a summer fallow to destroy weeds,
conserve moisture and prepare a mel.
low seed bed for succeeding crops.
Likewise, it is found that crops fol.
lowing clover give much larger re
turns. The deep penetrating clover
roots serve to loosen up the soil,
store up nitrogen and when these de-
cay leave the necessary humus to
prevent soil washing and teaching,
and to serve as a spoAge in retaining
the moisture. With these facts estab'
lished as have been done in so many
places the past year, it should not
take the average farmer long to rec.
ognize the value of crop rotation in
which corn and clover are large fac
tors.
The next thing is to decide upon a
particular system of rotation that will
state of fertility, destroy weeds and
at the same time supply those grains
which will find the most profitable
market and furnish the most econom
ical ration for live stock. The five
year rotation-wheat, corn, wheat
barley-clover, then clover-fits .rea'.
lily into the average farming scheme
and is well adapted to northwestern
conditions. In this rotation is grown
three small grain crops that find /;
ready continuous market and two
crops which furnish an ideal ration
for live stock. The object with mos
farmers is to increase the yield pc
acre of small grain, especially tina
of wheat, which is the most valuabl,
small grain crop in the northwest
With this %f1ve-year rotation eacl
wheat crop follows a crop of corn o
clover that puts the land in the YER
best filth by destroying weeds, pre-
pairing a seed bed and conserving tn
soil moisture.
With these crops. being used in tn
rotation brings up the question Q
what live stock will utilize the cor
and clover with the best econom
and profit. There is but one logica
answer-the dairy COW. Already i
many sections corn is being raised i
quantities even to the Canadian bou1
Fidary. Many varieties mature well i
the average season, making ideal S
, lage and fodder corn. It. is niue
richer in protein than corn grown ia:
ther south, while the stalks do nc
grow too rank to be relished by tn
animals. On many forms the pas
year where corn was put into the sill
= | IIuC udlIy COWo dlC 1ndhlu6 D. p1OA
and no shortage of feed is exper
enced.
Where the farmer can raise all {
the feed for his stock a much large
0 profit can be realized. This is tn
. case in the northwest. With Glove
Q ito furnish the protein and corr til
carbohydrate material, the dairyma
has a cheap balanced ration which
easily handled, a healthful, nutritiy
food, and conducive to a large mil
!. flow. The profits in any line of farm
D ing depend upon economy of produ
9 ton coupled with a quick, safe on
continuous return. With the urgel
necessity of crop rotation and tt
growing popularity of corn as
the main farm crops, the dairy CO
is destined to become a popular Ar
q profitable animal on the farms of I'll
northwest.