Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-03-05
DRY farming Will HELP
Tl||H|||Essl9l21 yield, SAYS <.
THOMAS SHAWIOF ST. Paul

kind; are chosen and II the work is
we'll done, not less than two tons of
cured fodder can be obtained from
an acre. It will not only repay the
outlay for labor but should also re-
turn a profit besides, if the corn has
been kept clean-which it ought to be
by the aid of the harrow and cultiva-
tor. The land will be virtually sum-
mer fallowed. The cultivation given
to the crop should retain enough
moisture in the soil to grow
crop of grain that follows the corn.
A similar result should follow on
potato land and on land that had
grown beans or field roots.
After the cultivated crop that land
should not be turned to prepare it
for the next crop. To pillow it would
render the seed bed less firm and it
would allow the escape Of much mois-
ture. The disc and the harrow will
prepare it for being sown. When
small grain is sown thus prepared a
fair crop may be looked for in a dry
year. Should the year be one of nor
NAL rainfall the crop will be good
Should the precipitation be more
than normal the crop will be unusually
large. Thus, in any event, the extra
labor expended in preparing the land
is not lost.
Fodder coin can be successfully
grown in nearly all the tillable por-
ton of the mountain states, and also
in the plains country where the ele-
vation lis not more than 1000 feet
above the sea.
Where corn may be thus grown.
with rainfall averaging from say IA
to rs inches in year, it should be
quite possible to grow three crops
in four years. The order would be
as follows: Summer fallow. small
grain (preferahly winter wheat); corn
or other cultivated crop; coming back
to small grain again. The three
crops should be, practically, sure re-
garding of the character Of the sea-
son. This system would also keep
the land free from foul weeds as 1t
would have one fallow and one cul-
tivated crop, that is, two cleaning
crops in the four years.
But there is one lack about this
rotation. 1t does not provide for a
renovating crop. This, however, may
be readily Introduced into the rota-
ton. The renovating crop will be al
falfa. It will enrich the soil and put
humus into it, and it will furnish hay
It may be successfully, grown where
the rainfall is - inches and more,
and when the land is broken it Will
be in an excellent condition mechani.
cally for growing several crops OF
grain.
When growing alfalfa, the ground
should be prepared by summer fal:
lowing or by growing cultivated
crop. It should be MANFRED literally
with farmlyard manure before the
summer fallow or the cultivated crop
as the case may be. From the open:
ing of the following spring. the land
should be sown with the drill late in
May. Not more than eight pounds
per acre should be sown and probably
a less amount will answer. 1t should
be narrowed with light harrow
when about four inches high. 1t
should be sown alone and clipped
when about 10 inches high by rum
ming the mower over IT.
The crop should yield from one and
one.half to two tons to the acre each
year. .
Small amounts of seed Of all kinds
must he used lest there should be a
larger number Of plants than the
moisture in the soil will maintain.
The grain crops should be narrowed
from one to five times according to
tho condition after thew have begun
to appear.~ One of the best times for
narrowing is when the grain is just
beginning to appear.