The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-02-08

Aavic culture Tells All ABOUT ~eme"t
si.os-Prot. Waldron on Alfalfa
the 1913 Convention.
Fred w. MERRILL, of Washington,
D. c., of the Department of Agrlcul-
ture, told the farmers al about buad'
ing cement silos on the farm and how
they could do it by cooperating with
their neighbors at very little cost.
A 40 ton silo, thirty feet high and
fourteen feet in diameter he said
could be built for about $170,
depending of course on conditions and
cooperation. The farmer who wishes
10 build such a slo will be given in
struction in building the frame for 1t
by Mr.. Flint, the dairy commissioner
of the state. j. M. Devine, secretary
Of the Mouse River Loop Farmers as
ISOLATION, informs the Independent
that all farmers desiring to construct
silos during the year under the d.
rection Of the department of agricul-
-ure of the state, can secure the date
when Mr.. Flint can come personally
10 show them how to erect the frame
work, if they will write to Mr.. De-
vine at Minot. Mr.. Flint will charge
nothing for his services.
Mr.. Merrill said that the material
used in building the silo should be
one part cement to three parts sand
and five parts gravel This viii make
a silo that Will last for generations.
The silage will not dry out and the
rats and mice cannot damage the
stucture Wooden silos in time will
rot and become damp, and the feed
will faint.
Mr.. Merrill said that owing to the
small cost Of good silo, every farmer
interested in mich cows should have
one, and we have heard at least a
score say they are going to build
silos the coming summer He spoke
Of the time to cut corn for silage,
the best time being in it's glazing
period. With q $125 machine which
Tuts and shreds the corn, 100 ton
silo can be filled in three days. One
machine will do the work for half
dozen farmers who can turn In and
help each other. He recommends the
planting of corn not alone for fodder,
but for the ears, which add to the
feeding value of the stlage. One acre
of corn ought to cut ten tons Of Sill
age.
Shaw and Waldron Differ.
AS to the question of alfalfa seed,
Professors Shaw and Waldron differ.
Waldron has had little use for the
Montana seed, preferring that Of
South Dakota, providing seed cannot
be secured at home. He told the far
mers that the experiment station o.
Dickinson Of which he is in charge,
has quite good deal of good alfalfa
seed, that it would be glad to fur
nish to the farmers In lots of two
pounds each, enough to SOW an acre
where it is planted indril1 rows. The
independent realizes that the farmers
of the state as a rule know but lit
tie of alfalfa yet. It is m it's exper-
mental stage. It has been grown
successfully here and experts believe
that within a few years 1t will be
grown generally. Every farmer
should secure enough seed to SOW
an acre, cut the first crop for hay and
save the second crop for seed. If he
has good luck, he should get IS or
40 pounds Of Seed. enough to SOW
six or eight acres another year. Far
mers should get some Of this seed
from Prof. Waldron and experiment.
Prof, Shaw said in his opinion it
did not make ucr difference ir
northwestern North Dakota, whether
soil was inoculated for alfalfa or not.
Prof. Waldron insists that the soil be
inocrlated. His advice on growing al.
falfa is as follows:
To insure good stand of alfalfa.
manure the land and put in a cult
waited crop or summer-till. Keep the
land 80 well cultivated that the larg.
est possible number Of weed seeds
will terminate. Let none of these go