The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-11-29
DEMONSTRATION
PLOTS SUCCESSFUL

Grafton Record: That fertilization
and intensive cultivation will produce
wonderful results has been maintained
for a long time by the professional ag-
r"iculturaltst, and to get practical
farmers to work out : professional
theories into actual practice has been
the problem. Last spring a represent
tative of James j. Hill was here and
secured four farmers to cultivate five
acres each according to the methods
suggested by a trained agricultural
list who would be Of the ground and
direct the work. The four men were
L. J. Herbison, who was to plant bar
ley; Helgreness Brothers, who were
also to plant barley; L. H. Lykken,
who was to plant wheat, and Nels
Monsoon, who was to plant wheat.
AT a meeting held in the courthouse
last spring a. number of farmers agreed
to plant plots in competition with
those farmed under the direction of
Mr.. Hills expert. The only one we
can learn of who completed the work
was Mons Monsoon of Fertile town
ship.
1t is the eating that proves the ex-
cellence of the pudding, and it Is the
results produced by these specially
worked plots that demonstrate that
fertilization and cultivation pay big
returns.
The barley plot of L. J.. Herbison
showed a yield of 90 bushels per acre
for the five acres, while the general
average of the farm for barley han
died in the ordinary way was but 81.
The barley plot of the Hegreness
Brothers showed a yield of SO bushels
to the acre for the five acres, while
the general average on the farm for
barley was but So bushels. 1t is but
fair to say, however, that the FIVE
acres used as the Hill plot was IN es-
pecially fine condition, having been in
| pasture recently and in 1911 planted
: to potatoes.
The wheat plot of l.. H. Lykken
4 showed a yield of 80 bushels per acre
for five acres, while the general aver
age of the farm for wheat was but IS
/ bushels. Mr.. Lykken says the work
ing Of the demonstration plot this sea-
| son has taught him that fertilization
| and intensive cultivation will give him
| double the results, and that half a
mans farm will produce the same re-
suits if properly worked n fertiliz-
/ ed, as would his entire farm under or
binary methods. -. .t
The wheat plot of Ne1s Monson
threshed an average of % bushels to
the acre. AS Mr.. Monson did not
plant any other portion of his farm
to wheat it is impossible to contrast
it with wheat grown under ordinary
methods of cultivation on his land.
He says the wheat was a fine sample
of No. / hard. .r ...
All of these plots were fertilized
with commercial fertilizer and were
cultivated frequently to make a per-
feet seed bed before sowing. ~
The farmer who used his own meth
DDS, Mons Monsoon, has a splendid
record for his seasons efforts. He
had nine acres of ground that was so
foul in 1911 it had to be summer fall
lowed. In 1912 he cultivated it care
fully and got the ground in excellent
condition, then drilled in wheat both
ways of the land. His results showed
SO bushels to the acre for nine acres
and but 20 bushels per acre for the
balance of the farm. He used ten
loads of barnyard to the acre
for fertilization. Considering that his
land was in poor condition and foul,
his results are the best of the plots
planted.
Here has been demonstrated in
Walsh county by farmers on their
own land the splendid results of q
proper use of fertilizer and hard work
in putting the land in the best posi-
BILE condition, What has been done
by these men can be done by every
farmer who is willing to put the work
and time on the and necessary. In
doing so he will reap double results
from his acres.