The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-04-11
PECK TALKS TO
SURREY FARMERS
Enthusiastic Meeting Held Saturday.
viii Give Considerable Attention to
That District.

The Surrey Agricultural AssOcla-
ton held q meeting at the school
house last Saturday. A rather pleas
ant surprise was sprung at the close
of routine business by the arrival OF
Sec. Sherman of the Mlnot CONNER
cial Club, Mr.. Peck who has charge
OF the work undertaken by the Bet
ter Farming Assn, in this district,
md J. B Taylor Mr.. Sherman ex-
planned the reason the Better Farm
ing movement was started in the
state and outlined the work to be
| undertaken. He also expressed .
desire to see the farmers cooperate
with the business men in this move
ment and introduced MT. Peck.
The attendance was light owing to
the weather, which had taken the
farmers to the fields. It Is generally
understood among the farmers that
advice is free and eagerly given by
everyone from the incompetent hired
man up to the college professor, but
this meeting proved rather an ex-
ception to the rule Mr. Peck gave
brief outline of his observations
in the cotton belt where the U. s.
government is carrying on extension
work to demonstrate method OF
renewing WORKOUT land by crop rota-
ton In Maine he visited the potato
growing region where the soil must
likewise be renewed. Some farmers
in Maine were using as high as $50
pr A. in commercial fertilizer but
the government experts worked out
system of cropping whereby the land
could be renewed in a much less ex-
pensive way. From his observations
here he was under the impression
that North Dakota had a better soil
for potato growing than many states
which had gained great prominence
in potato culture.
Mr.. Peck explained that the work
he would undertake here might be
classed under three heads viz:-Ad-
.visory Work, Demonstration Work,
and Cooperative Work. Farmers
wishing advice about planning a
start in alfalfa or the building OF
silo or any other problem in farm
economy were at liberty to apply to
him for advice. :
The demonstration work will have
to be carried on for term of years
to be of any value. A few farmers
in each township are going to set
apart their farms or a portion of them
to be cropped under the direction Of
the farm experts. This expert advice
will cost nothing and the farmer will
get the benefit of the increased crop
returns
The cooperative work will be TAX
en- up next winter in the formation
Of farmers clubs where there are
none, and assistance and advice to
he clubs already started. Quite a
lengthy informal discussion centered
around methods to be used in secur-
ing crop this year. Because of the
abundance of moisture the farmers
are inclined to crop all the land pos
sible. But Mr.. Peck insisted upon the
destruction of all thistles and other
! trash before any attempt be made
to prepare seedbed. Various methods
| We're proposed by the farmers them
selves. 1t was generally conceded
that harrow or hay-rake would loos-
en- them up. Probably as good Z
way as any is to harrow with heavy
harrow which will pull the thistles
loose and roll them into punches.
These punches. can then be thrown
together with forks or raked into
! windows.
j IN either case they can be gather
ed into piles sufficiently large to
burn OF course, where the weeds
are thick enough for a fire to run
the problem Is simple one on a
dry windy day. If barley is to be
sown late to kill wild oats the ground
( should be disced early to conserve
moisture and cause weed seeds to
eerminate. Sow the barley as soon
as possible after the blowing is done.
Mr.. Peck advises the sowing Of vetcn
and Canadian field peas with wheat
or barley for hay. They are both
legumes nitrogen gatherers) and
make an excellent quality OF hay,
especially for cows. Thirty pounds
Of wheat and ten pounds OF vetch
to the acrs, or bushel of Canadian
field peas and thirty pounds OF wheat
will be good seeding.
The next meeting will be held on
the third Saturday Of this month at