The Dickinson press., 1911-12-16


Flowing must be done when the
ground is moist. but not too wet. In
general the earlier in the fall ploughing
is done the deeper it may be. Much
moisture can be conserved for plowine
and for next years crop by discing i'm
mediately after harvest. This not only
pulverizes the soil and stops evapora-
tion but breaks off the stubble which is
still a great drain on the moisture.
This will have to be done at a busy
time and must be done. but it will pay.
The ground was dry in 1910 and fields
ploughed then were failure in 1911.
We should never let the soil become
very dry. There are in this soil millions
of bacteria which throw off plant food.
When the soil dries out, these bacteria
die or become inactive and the plants
suffer. Grain is heavy draft on moist
ure and and there is quite long period
before harvest when it cannot be culti-
waited. Discina after the binder stops
evaporation.
We have fertile soil, good climate
and fair rain fall. We must meet these
conditions or quit.
Supt. Waldron said there was no
question but what we had a fertile soil
to hold moisture if rightly treated.
MIR. Waldron introduced Hugh J..
Hughes of the Stock & Home as "a man
who thinks for the farmers and has
thousands of clients.
HUGH j. HUGHES ON FARMING
Mr.. Hughes said he turned down a
Minnesota convention of dead and
dying politicians to come to Dickinson
among live issues. He said:
Farming is business proposition, to
raise living and get profit. If it
does not do this, something is wrong.
In new country where there is lack
Of capital. three ways are open to the
farmer, to crop the soil, sell part of his
land to secure money to develop the
remainder or borrow money to make
improvements.
The crop method is best and probably
for few years the grain method will
bring more immediate returns than any
other. But this depletion of the soil
cannot continue without failure. It has
caused failure in the Red River valley,
Iowa and Minnesota. Soil depletion has
caused abandoned farms in New York
and New England. The successful
farmer must always plan for permanent
agriculture by change of crops. Stock
and dairying are absolutely necessary.
Learn to produce and have something
to sell profitably.
A second way to develop the farm is
to sell off part of the land. Get rid
of the notion that you must have a lot
of poorly titled land for ''the boys.
1t is far better to take life little easier,
live well, make the farm pleasant so
the boys will take to farming and trust
them to make their own way when the
time comes.
But sometimes the crop fails or can
not be increased and the farmer cannot
decrease his land and incidentally his
taxes. to get money for working capital.
Then borrow. but borrow for specific
purpose. Tell your banker you need
money for good milch COWS (no scrubs)
that you have established good crop
rotation and will have the proper feed
for them and understand keeping up the
fertility of your fields, etc.. so that he
can see that you are farming on busi-
ness principles. Let the chickens pay
the running expenses.
There must be a more progressive
method of farming and more system and
there must be more system in market
ing the produce.
The problem is not to double crops
but to double prices. The farmer must
study market probabilities and change
his crops so as to always find marke,
for what he has to sell. Cooperative
creameries have revolutionized the dairy
business and cooperative marketing
system would also work wonders.
PORTER ON PERSONAL EXPERIMENTS
AND DEFINITE RESULTS
Mr.. Porter. who is superintendent oil
the "a demonstration farms of the state,
was intensely practical. He said:
What we are doing on the demon
stration farm in trying out seed and
ascertaining the best methods of cult
vation, every farmer can do for himself
and know of his own knowledge what
it pays 10 do on the farm.
Hand pick enough wheat, selecting
the very best kernels, to plant say two
acres. See how this yield compares
with that from seed sown without Sc
lection. If it is so per cent better taxi
the very best seed from this field ant
GOO If il ia anv hetter sav an uer cent