The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-03-15
POSSIBILITY OF GROWING
FLAX ON LAND THAT IS DRY

Professor Bolley is receiving a large
number of questions from western dry
land regions regarding the possibili-
ties OF growing flax under such dry
land conditions. .-
l.. T. Minehart of Denver, Colo,
lately asked the definite question
whether it would be possible to grow
plax under the dry land methods Of
soil culture.
The following is the answer given
Mr.. Minehart and would probably be
just as applicable to western North
Dakota conditions.
Whenever the farmers i'm western
North Dakota really work the land as
carefully as do those farmers who are
using the dry land method in Color
ado and Montana, they will be inter
ested in the results, not only inter
ested, but surprised:
L. T.. Minehart, Denver, Colo. Dear
Sir: In reply TO your questions con-
corning the possibilities of Temuner-
alive flax culture under semi-arid con-
ditions, it may be stated that the oil
producing types of the flax crop are
more nearly at home on the dryer wind
swept plains or foothills east of the
Rocky mountains than any other OF
our non-cultivated farm crops I'm
der proper methods of seed selection,
seed treatment and Of seed bed for
nation. the fax seed crop is also more
likely to produce a remuneTative yield
upon light or rather poor soils than
any other of the small grain crops
This is especially suited to the condi-
lions of newly broken prairie of heavy
or long time pastured sods
Some of the results which have
been obtained by a good many farm
ers in these western regions would
seem to contradict these statements
In defense Of the crop, however, It
may be said that less careful study has
been made of the proper methods Of
caring for II than any other OF the
field crops. 1t has usually been cared
for as a side issue after other crops
have been planted. and the work Of
preparing the seed bed has quite COM
monty been OF the most careless sort.
More often than otherwise, the seed
has been drilled or scattered over
newly broken prairie lands without
other preparation following the plow
Whenever a reasonable expenditure of
effort has been placed upon the prepa-
ration of the seed bed on such prairie
lands, and the seed has been properly
selected and planted, the crop has uni
formly responded handsomely.
The people of the so-called dry land
farming regions understand what is
meant by the proper preparation OF a
seed bed. for cereal culture. They are
beginning to understand that the in
tensive cultivation which they put up
on the soil during the period preceding
the crop not only gives results be-
cause it retains moisture in the soil,
but because, it properly aerates, COM
pacts, evens up, and prepares a condi-
ton of soil, suited to protect the roots
of the growing crop. When the dry
land farmers undertake to grow this
crop. planting about fourteen quarts
of heavyweight, bright colored. prop
erly disinfected seed, 1t is my opinion
that they will find it to be one Of the
most remunerative of their field crops.
Like wheat this crop responds splen-
didly upon being planted upon the seed
bed which has been developed through
proper cultivation of corn crop; the
drilling in Of the seed being done upon
the old corn ground withut further
blowing; the corn ground being simply
surfaced or dressed to properly level II.