The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-02-03
Corn VIII Be Good
North Dakota Crop
Corn is One Of the Stapl Crops on
ali the Well Regulated Farms
In This State

some day be a factor in the
markets of the world, that it is a
splendid crop for the state, and
that it is almost imperative to
raise it to get the best results,
were some of the things brought
out in the address yesterday after
| noonof Prof. A. B. Hess, superin-
tendent of schools of Larimore, N.
D. at the Grain Growers con-
vention says the Fargo Forum of
January Is.
Mr.. Hess said: Corn lis one of
the staple crops on all we'll regu.
lated farms in reasonable climatic
areas. It is crop that is. most
valuable for its forage.
It furnishes valuable fodder
for all farm animals. When cut
and field cured it becomes a most
acceptable forage for both horses
and cattle and is reasonably sure
when other forage crops fail. It
can be successfully raised lin this
latitude irrespective of the amount
of rainfall during the growing
season. The seed bed, its plant
ing and cultivation, can be so
arranged as to conserve the moist
ure already in the soil. Asa ,stover
crop it is equal to hay for horses
and more digestable and nourishing
for the dairy and of immense i'm.
portance to the beef type because
of the variety of nutriments it
contains. Then, as silage crop
for the dairy it has no equal, pro-
ducing more milk of better.auality
than any other forage except pos
sibly the legumes.
It is reasonably reliable grain
crop, furnishing a grain that is
easily digested; full of protein,
carbohydrates and fats. The
average maturing field cured C IN
contains from 6 to Is per cent
protein; nitrogen free extract from
66 to 79 per cent fats, and ash
from l to 2 per cent. This ash
constituent contains large pro.
portions of phosphoric acid, potash,
and magnesium and but little
lime. This makes it valuable
food for growing stock, especially
pigs.
Corn forms an excellent
weed killer and cleanser Of foul
seed polluted soil. In this respect
alone it is valuable on lands which
have been cropped continually
with the same crop, such as oats,
wheat, or barley. Corn is cul-
tivated at a time when the weeds
are small and easily destroyed and
the continual stirring of the soil
brings the seeds to the surface
where they germinate and are thus
destroyed. No better crop can be
planted that will destroy the
Canada thistle and quack grass
which are gaining such footing
in this section.
The corn plant, by the very
nature Of its root system, is most
excellently, adapted for the better
ing Of the physical condition of
the soil by breaking up the soil
elements and rendering them
available for plant food. The roots
Of single corn plant extend to a
distance OF from one to three and
a half feet on each side and to
depth Of from one to three and one
half feet, according to the nature
of the subsoil and the season. This
vast root system, penetrating the
subsoil brings up soil moisture
saturated with the mineral ele-
ments and brings both to a con-
dition and position Of plant
availability. The fact that the
corn has 6berous root system
also confirming the opinion that
the physical condition is much
improved.
II 8 mi.arid region no better
plant can be used 70 conserve