The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-01-05

GROWING FLAX on NEW LAs>o.
ey n. L. eeiIsy.
The high price OF max seed and OF
its various by-products annotated
with the effects of the great drouth
which has occurred In the fax seed
growing regions of America tends to
make the question of cropping to fax
one Of extreme interest.
The short crop Of 1910 was. in part
due to the excessive drouth and in
part to the very intense action Of the
root disease Of fax under drouth
condttions. The drouth not only cut
down the yield ON new land where
clean and properly treated seed was
sown, but On those lands which wese
infected by root disesae, it practically
eliminated the crop. ~"
Many o" the finest fields were to
be seen growing during this season
also suffered severely by early frosts.
In most cases, the fax was late on
these fields, not because the farmers
had sown too late, but because the
condition of the seed bed prevented
termination until rain fell.
This very drougtny year, therefore,
should not be taken as an index as to
what can be done with fax in the fu-
ture. And, nov that We know most
Of the causes which have brought
about the rapid deterioration of the
crop on new lands, there is no reason
why fax seed growing should not pros
per in manner not previously pos
sible. It was long known that fax
, is subject to rust and blights, but
it is only of late years that investi-
cations have been as to demonstrate
that plant disease infesting the soil
are the chief causes Of the rapid de-
terioration in fax yields on new lands.
1t is the history Of the fax crop, That
on new lands it at first is a success,
but after comparatively few crops the
yield rapidly falls until it is no long
err profitable. Farmers have usually
assumed that the soil is depleted
! chemically, that some necessary
chemical element is removed and
many noted agriculturists have claim
ed that fax cropping is hard on the
soil, injuring it for other crops. These
beliefs, believe, have been disprov-
ed. Flax is not particularly hard up
on the soil, but the methods of crop
: ping nave usually been careless and
Of such nature that the soils speedily
become infected by fax parasites
which destroy the plants.
! These considerations make the
questions as to what to do In order to
grow max on new lands and upon old
lands Of the greatest importance.
Essentials Of Flax Cropping: Il,
The first essential in hax cropping
is to clearly appreciate that the dis
= cases which bring about deterioration
of the crop are transferred from field
to field primarily by the seed, but Of
ten by the blowing of dust from in
fected flax lands, by drainage waters
by plows, harrows, threshing equip
ments, infet Ted rlanures, etc. 1t is
| therefore, OF first Importance that
careful methods of preventing sol
infection should be followed every
year by all growers. Unless farmers
60 willing to persistentlv make
every effort to prevent the introduc
ton of the root killing disease lnL
the soil, there can be verv Sigh
hopes Of retaining the fax crop as {
permanent element of agriculture il
any community.
ca The next essential rests II
proper crop rotation and proper seet
bed formation.
Preparing New Land For The Sowing
Of Flax.
II the seed Is to be placed on new
breaking, best results usually follow
spring blowing. The seeding Should
be done as soon as possible after the
plow. The moist earth and compac
seed-bed gives rapid first growth ant
the crop 10 usually comparatively fret
from weeds. II the land is broken il
the fall, it is apt to be filled with any
Of those weed seeds, and these may
be blown and tumbled by the winter
winds, and these plants make strong
competitors with the fax on newly
broken areas, unless special provi
sion is made for destroying them be
fore seed time.
How TO Proceed in Spring Breaking