The Dickinson press., 1911-05-20
MONEY IN. DAIRYING
Close Relation Between Grain
and Cattle Raising.
With Glover to Furnish Protein and
Corn Carbohydrate Material Cheap
Balanced Ration 10 Easily
Secured.
(By q. L MARr1N.)

(6y ". Il 10Aktl4N.l
There appears to be q close relation
between grain growing and live stock
raising In the northwest, which 40
counts largely for the increased pop
ularity Of dairying. Formerly the
whole northwest was 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'
dary Of cultivated areas. 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 IL no longer practical mol
profitable.
I Just now we are entering upon a
third stage-that of 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 must
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
a summer fallow to destroy weeds,
conserve moisture and prepare a mel
low seed bed for succeeding crops.
Likewise, 1t 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 ia
prevent soil washing and teaching
and to serve as sponge 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
bring the soil back to a reasonable
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 read
lily into the average farming scheme
and is we'll adapted to northwestern
conditions. In this rotation is grown
three small grain crops that find a
ready continuous market and two
crops which furnish an ideal ration
for live stock. TIE object with most
farmers is to increase the yield pei
acre of small grain. especially that
of wheat, which is the most valuable
small grain crop in the northwest
With this five-year rotation each
wheat crop follows crop of corn OF
clover that puts the land In the very
best tilth by destroying weeds, pre-
pairing a seed bed and conserving the
soil moisture.
With these crops being used in the
rotation brings up the question o1
what live stock will utilize the corr
and clover with the best economy
and profit. There is but one logica
answer-the dairy COW. Already II
many sections corn Is being raised II
quantities even to the Canadian boun
dairy. Many varieties mature we'll II
the average season, making ideal 81
lage and fodder corn. It is mucl
richer in protein than corn grown far
ther south, while the stalks do no
grow too rank to be relished by th'
animals. On many forms the pas
year where corn was put into the sill
the dairy cows are making prof
and no shortage Of feed Is expert
enced.
Where the farmer can raise all o
the feed for his stock much large
profit can be realized. This Is tn
case in the northwest. With Glove
to furnish the protein and corn th
carbohydrate material, the dairymal
has cheap balanced ration which
easily handled, a healthful, nutritiv
food, and conducive to large mil
flow. The profits in any line of farm
Ing depend upon economy of produ,
tion coupled with quick, safe an
continuous return. With the urgen
necessity of crop rotation and th
growing popularity Of corn az one {
the main farm crops. the dairy CO,
is destined to become popular an
profitable animal on the farms Of th
northwest.