The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-07-31
SOIL SURVEY OF
BARNES COUNTY
FEDERAL EXPERT Is ASSISTING
PROFESSOR HARD AND ASSIST.
ANTS IN THE WoRK-sPLEN-
DID CROP CONDITIONS RE.
PORTED IN THAT SECTION.

Chief Whitney Of the Federal Soil
bureau assigned l.. C. Holmes to CO.
operate with the North Dakota state
survey for the 1912 season. MI.
Holmes has been in this work for ten
years and has an enviable record as
an expert in soil examination, in fact
in making the assignment Professor
Whitney wrote the director, II am
sending you one Of our best men,"
Mr.. Holmes has worked extensively in
South Dakota, Yakima valley, WASH
ington, and in the southwest. Having
had such experience in solving
trg3bEes arising from excess alkali he
should prove very helpful In reclama-
ton Of certain North Dakota tracts
which have moderate alkaline content.
Progress in Barnes County,
About one-third of Barnes county
was surveyed last summer by the
state corps. When Mr.. Holmes re-
ported to Professor Hard the work
was rapidly continued by two soil
sampling parties until now only the
northwest corner Of the county re-
mains untouched. This viii be com
pleted in August and September along
with a revision of an old survey Of
central Barnes made some years ago.
Bumper Yield For Barnes.
The soils, well known for their
richness, are standing UP well under
the exacting tests of the soil expert.
The two prevailing soil types being
technically known as 'loam" and silt
loam," the latter being the richer,
quicker soil. AS elsewhere in North
Dakota, Barnes county is enjoying
prosperity. The soil samples, samp-
ling every quarter section are in a
position to have very positive in
formation. The stock remark is, II
do not see how conditions would be
better" Barring the unforeseen there
will be an exceptional yield except in
corn. In the latter case, the season
being a late cold one, maize received
a very late start and is very short.
However, those farmers using their
own or well acclimated seed have a
catch" to do credit to the corr belt.
Just here is the rub. Many farmers
carelessly neglecting to select seed
last September, from their own fields
were forced to buy it at So and IS
per bushel. Much of this was from
corn not acclimated to this latitude
and is nearly a total failure. Corn
has a great future in the state as
forage and wen a. grain crop, but
this acknowledgement OF seed selection
has given 1t a Ave year backset with
the over conservative farmer. Rodents
and cutworn1s have taken some fields
this yea
Personnel Of The staff.
Owing to the increased funds and
staff through federal cooperation this
seasons survey will be more than twice
as great as previously, and Barnes
county will be completely mapped by
November. Later the map and reports
on the soils and their condition will
be available for free distribution.
Pending that time, information as to
individual sections can be had by pri-
vate correspondence with the director
Of the agricultural college survey.
With the director are Messrs,
Holmes, Anderson and Boucher in soil
sampling and mapping, road materials
and water supply while Professor
Bergman is making q systematic plant
survey. Professor Doryland as the
survey bacteriologist is continuing the
work Of Professor Beckwith, Mrs.
Hard is aiding in collecting data on
road materials and in a brief history
OF Barnes county.
Professors Hard and Bergman viii
later take up their work in the bad
lands of Billings county and the for
mer will visit the interesting geo.
logiral field of the Yellowstone park.
Another note Of large scientific in
terest lies in the fact that Prof. Frank
Leverett, the noted federal glacial
geologist, will spend the last half OF
the season in the state, and has writ
ten the director that he will arrive
early in August.