The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-02-08

Much Larger Attendance and
More Enthusiasm Marks
Days Program
The second day Of the corn and
clover convention was more import
ant than the first and the increased
attendance was only equalled by the
increased interest.
Long before the opening hour of
the morning session of the conven-
tion the auditorium was thronged
with visitors inspecting the excellent
exhibits Of grains, grasses, vegetables,
! bread and butter. This exhibit is at
| tracing great deal of attention and
all remark on the extensiveness of the
exhibit as we'll as the splendid sam
pies.
Promptly at 10 o'clock Chairman
Bacon called the meeting to order and
the session Immediately got down to
business.
| Prof. Sheppard's Talk
Prof, J. H. Sheppard Of the agri-
cultural college took the platform for
discussion of the next step in ro-
tation. Prof. Sheppard said in part:
I'm what l have to say to you this
morning, I am proceeding on the the
ory' that this convention has taken
the first two steps in advanced agri-
culture. This is evidenced by the
name itself-Corn and Clover. We
have gotten beyond the general argu-
ment for raising of corn and clover
and rotation of crops, the arguments
that It saves fertility, returns the nj :
trogen to the soil and works hardships
on various insect pests. You have
not been so very much troubled with
bugs and insects that infest the small
grain crops. but you Of the valley
| will perhaps recall few years ago
when we battled in a small degree
with the Hessian fly for one season
1t was supposed that the Hessian fly
would not operate on spring wheat
but the bug. had evidently changed ita
habits. for 1t did In the Red river
valley this .particular~~year to such
m extent that the estimated loss was
ten per cent of the crop. The condi-
tion of the ground has a great deal
/ to do with the ravages of insect pests
For years and years I have been
talking diversified farming from the
public platforms in North Dakota
Often met with open ridicule and al
best l found little sympathy for my
creed. We have been making some
experiments at our dry farming sta.
tions at Williston and Dickinson in
connection with conservation of mois.
ture. In this part Of the state We
are not seriously troubled with lacl
of moisture in the soil, but in the
western part of the state, at Willis.
ton for instance, we found that by
growing corn and potatoes the deptf
! of the moisture increased from -four
feet to nine and ten feet. This H
caused by the soil mulch resulting
from the growing of corn and pota.
toes. notwithstanding the fact that
we generally have sufficient moisture
here in the valley, there is scarcely
q season when an inch more of mois-
ture at the proper time would greatly
I increase the yield. The soil mulch
by conserving the moisture. will pro.
vide for this. In the season just past
we had special occasion to note the
value of mulch.
What shall we do with the corn
and clover after we have raised it, is
a question often asked. don't care
what you do with it, just so you raise
it. The increased yield in your wheat
and small grains will amply pay fol-
the raising Of it, whether you utilize
1t for any purpose or not. Some
time ago I was discussing this thing
with a Traill county farmer. He
spoke Of neighbor of his who was
raising clover and corn. He spoke OF
his neighbor as a very poor farmer
He threw the corn and clover out to
the sheep and even some of it was per-
mftted to stand and rot. But, strange
to relate, this poor farmer" for some
reason or other. always raised far
bigger wheat crops than any of his
neighbors."
frof. Sheppard related some per-
sonal experiences with raising wheat
on his farm near Harwood, following
a corn crop. A sixteen acre field that
had raised crop of corn the previous
year, yielded from, twenty to twenty.
five bushels while adjoining land
4 JaSAASu OAiy oUOuS NC cAdCl
figures were not obtainable as the en-
tire field was threshed together.
Have you thought of what to do
with the corn and clover after you
have raised it?''
Build silo." was a suggestion
from the audience. This precipitated
discussion of silo building, ensilage
and kindred subjects. which was par
ticipated in by several from the audi
ence. Some one suggested that silo
was too expensive for the average
farmer. but the person who suggested
the building Of silo proposed to let
the milk checks pay for ii. This
brought forth an animated discussion
of the value of dairying and stock on
the farm.
"The suggestion about a creamery
check is good one," continued Prof.
Sheppard. 1.-THE monthly check from
the creamery not only promotes thrift
and prosperity. but also created a
spirit of economy and the habit of
saving. We all know the menace of