The Paonia progressive and the Paonia newspaper., 1911-06-15
CORN AS A DRY FARM CROP
Produces Abundance Of Cheap Feed
and Shades Soil. Preventing Con-
sequent Loss Of Fertility.

CBy W. r. PORTER. Superintendent of
North Dakota Demonstration Farm.)
In all the dry farming areas the
conservation of the rainfall in the soil.
where is becomes available to grow
ing crops. is the keystone of success
full agricultural operations This is
generally done by the cultivation of
the soil during the entire growing sea-
SON. II no crop is produced on the
land. this operation is called summer
fallow or summer culture. Over most
of the dry farming area. nearly II
not fully as good grain crops can be
grown following the cultivated crop as
on summer fallowed land
When the bare fallow system IL
used a whole year elapses without
any returns either on the investment
or for the labor performed. II a cul
tivated crop can be grown with as
good crops following 1t should more
than pay its expense which will con-
sist in the cost of seed. planting and
harvesting. the cultivation would have
to be done anyway. so this should not
be counted against the cost Of produc-
ton Of crop of corn. Corn is pre-
eminently this crop: First, because
1t produces an abundance OF cheap
feed: second, because II shades the
soil during the excessively hot days
OF July and August. thereby prevent
! ing loss OF soil fertility; and third. a
corn field has a cooling rather than
heating influence on the winds that
blow across 1t. This may have a very
beneficial effect on surrounding crops
when the temperature is near the 100
degree mark
On most farms in the dry farming
area enough live stock should be kept
to pay most OF the running expenses
of the farm. Hay and pasturage are
very short in such areas and conse-
| quently too dear for cheap live stock
production Enough corn should be
grown to supply the work horses with
roughage during the winter. II not the
working season. and later to supple
ment the pastures OF the summer and
fall as a soiling crop or in the form
of ensilage and TO form the bulk Of
their winter ration. Enough corn
should also be grown to supply the
sheep and hogs a cheap fattening food
for finishing them of in the fall
The first essential to corn culture
on the dry farms is live stock. for
without this there is no way of utiliz-
ing the corn crop. On the other
hand. II live stock are kept. feed must
be had; the corn crop can be con-
verted into beef. pork. mutton. wool.
butter and eggs-commodities that
can always be converted into cash or
it's equivalent The by-product of
live stock Cmanure) should go back
onto the land to replenish the dimin-
ishing supply of humus and fertiliz-
ing elements SO essential TO large
yields.
The second essential TO corn culture
is a conviction that II will pay to
grow live stock on the corn crop pro
duced and determination to grow
corn as their chief feed in spite OF
adverse circumstances. In order to be
successful in growing corn on a dry
farm the selection of the proper va.
| riety is essential In western North
Dakota and eastern Montana. Squsw.
Gehu. Mercer. King Phillip and Tri.
umph will probably prove the best
flint varieties. while Golden Dent and
Northwestern Dent will probably
prove the best dent varieties. Good
seed is very important II should al
ways germinate strong-95 per cent
or better