The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-08-28

Continued From Page Two.
bors might have Jared equally we'll
had they pursued the same intelligent
In practically every instance where a
farmer produces a crop, from fair to
good. during a droughty season when
almost universal failure abounded.
when asked as to cultivation methods
he practiced, with not an exception.
testified that he followed the prin-
cipIes of dry farming as advocated
by the agricultural college.
Conserving Soil Fertility.
I wish in this connection to en-
phasize the importance Of vconserv-
ing soil fertility as well as conserv-
ing soil moisture. While the land is
upon the natural fertility that repre-
sents the accumulation of centuries.
Every harvest, however. is a draft
made upon this store of plant food.
depicting it by the amount OF humus
and other elements Of fertility re-
quired to produce the crop. The con-
servation of moisture simply enables
the farmer to make an annual or
where strictly dry farming methods
are rigidly practiced a biennial draft
upon the fertility OF his farm. How
ever unless measures are adopted to
conserve the fertility as well as the
moisture a single generation is Oft
times sufficient to reduce the amount
of plant food in the soil to such an
extent that a profitable crop only
can be grown during years when the
most favorable weather conditions
prevail.
Later, crop failures or partial fall
ures will become quite common while
a really profitable crop will be an ex-
eeption, until finally we reach the
stage of abandoned homes. Millions
of acres in the far a s and southeast
afford incontrovertible evidence OF
this fact. And this too at a time
when Increasing population is de-
manded not only that new lands
shall be open up but that lands now
under cultivation shall be made more
productive. Less than half a century
hence, the population of the United
States will create a demand for bread
and clothing In volumes twice over
present time. This demand must be
met, not alone by opening up virgin
lands but more largely by practicing
improved methods of farming on the
lands now under cultivation. A CEN
fury hence 1T will require four times
as much to feed and clothe and shell
ter our people as now. Common pa
IFloLlSInI lneIelOrcs enters AdIHSIy Ia
to this problem OF conservation OF
the country's resources, chief of
which is the fertility OF the soil.
1t has been well said that who
makes two blades of grass grow
where one grew before is a bene-
factor to mankind" But ! think il
was Professor Hopkins who remarked
with great emphasis and with equal
truthfulness that who can only grow
II onn hIaHn ~ 0Jra Go xUhav~o fxIyn hla dns
grew before, is a curse to his
country"
But what is the remedy? Live
stock; leguminous crops: cattle. hors-
es, sheep and swine and the forage
and coarse grains they require.
Any or all of these animals should
be reared in sufficient numbers tC
reasonably diversity the farmers in.
come as well as to produce sufficient
manure to maintain to a large extern
at least, the fertility of his land
Where dry farming, or any other sys-
tenn of farming is ~practiced, therefore
a liberal proportion of attention
should be given to livestock. For all.
grain farming spells nothing othel
than soil robbery, soil exhaustion. sol
exploitation. If God Almighty Great
ed the homestead for the exclusiv,
benefit of the homesteader, it woult
be different. But not so. He creates
the soil for posterity as we'll as TO
the present incumbent and woe II
him that betrays his stewardship.
About Summer FalIoW.
Summer following half the farm
each and giving repeated cul
tivation to this fallow ground will
surely conserve moisture, but adds N
fertility. The system of summer fal
lowing alluded to will also liberat
plant food as well as conserve mois
ture, but ~liberating plant food onl
Facilitates the mining process an
makes it possible to more successful
ly commit grand larceny against tn
soil directly and against posterity in
directly.
Plant food. therefore, must be re
stored as well as liberated, but. with
out livestock and the cultivation d
Ilegumious crops, 1t Is not likely tina
1t will be restored nor can 1t other
wise be 81 easily and naturally don,
1t has been scientifically deter
mined that acre OF wheat yieldin
twenty bushels, together with tn
straw takes from the soil forty-fou
pounds of potash, twenty pounds 9
J phosphoric acid and forty-tw pound
} of nitrogen.
The approximate value Of these es
sential elements withdrawn from eac
acre ct commercial prices is $3.50. 3
) above 46 cents per bushel. When th
@4ro ~ 90 hY1rnnd{ 49, a. fn- affair fh