Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-01-16

natural source OF alfalfa seed for this
state. North Dakota should grow it,
own alfalfa seed. When the alfalfa
acreage of North Dakota has in
creased so that our farming methods
are upon a rational basis, so that s0ll
! agriculture is built upon permanent
foundation, then the alfalfa acreage
will approximate 5000 600. But this
apparently large acreage would mean
! only about Is acres upon each quarter
/ section OF arabic land, none too much
for the crop. making the best hay on
earth. . -.
Present Acreage.
The present acreage in North Da
kota is quite unknown, but it certain
ly is not above 5000. 1t is seen at
once that it will require several years
! to work up to the desired acreage, and
1t will require also large quantity
of seed-even to increase the acreage
as rapidly as is desired.
l wish to take an optimistic view
of the future agriculture of North Da-
kota, and to do this, let me assume
that in the course of the next 10 or Is
years the alfalfa acreage in the state
will increase a thousand fold. To
SOW such an area would require some
"a, 900 900 pounds of seed. Assuming
a yield of 200 pounds per acre, it
would require 100000 acres to produce
the required amount of seed.
Fortunately this amount of seed
does not have to be produced at
once, but it needs to be produced as
rapidly as possible in order to keep
anywhere near the demand l am Civ.
ing you these figures in an effort to
impress upon you the seriousness of
the alfalfa seed proposition at the
present time. l might mention that
often one makes strike" in alfalfa
seed production. Mr.. Brevig of Nc.
ksnzie county, for instance, raised 4
bushels of Grimm seed from one.half
acre in 1911. This would easily sell
at the rate Of $144 per acre.
Outside Demand.
North Dakota is not the only state
that Is making an effort to secure
hardy alfalfa seed. 1t has been found
that certain strains of alfalfa, partic-
ularly the Grimm, succeed better in
the north central and in the north
Atlantic states than other alfalfas.
Thus tho states east from North Da.
kota to the Atlantic ocean as far
south as Pennsylvania, Ohio and In.
diana are DESTROYS of securing north.
ern grown alfalfa seed of hardy
strains.
The alfalfa plant is peculiar in pro-
ducing seed, It requires special condi-
tons. 1t is the real business of the
alfalfa plant to produce hay. The pro-
duction of seed is necessary evil.
The primary production has been hay
for so many thousands of years, and
seed only secondary, that special con.
dltions are necessary for seed produc-
ton. This long time production of
seed under dry atmospheric conditions
has perhaps become inbred, thus lin
ting seed production in humid areas.
Whatever the reason, the fact is, seed
production is not successful ordinar-
|ly in such states as Illinois, Pennsyl-
vania or Vermont.
value Of Alfalfa.
Perhaps I should not have men,
Toned this outside demand for al
alfa seed. for it is the local demand
hat is of the very greatest impor-
:ance in this state. II North Dakota
were ruled by an absolute king l
would expect him to publish a decree
the export of any hardy al
alta seed from the tsate until the
armers here were amply supplied.
We must not forget what alfalfa
s for. Alfalfa is feed for our poul.
ry. 1t is to be fed to young and ma
uring hogs to make them grow cheap.
so that they can be given an eco
lomical finish with corn and small
rains. Alfalfa is to be fed to grow.
ng stock and to colts, and alfalfa is
o be fed as hay to horses; but over
nd above all, alfalfa is to be fed to
MICH COWS to produce milk; this Is
o be the greatest function of alfalfa
n North Dakota.
Hardness Essential.
The first essential for North Dako.
a grown alfalfa seed Is undoubtedly
ardiness. It lies in the power of the
'orth Dakota farmer to break up any
ardly alfalfa seed trust that may be
existence. The Dickinson station
las already co-operated with nearly
0 farmers in the growing of Grimm
Italia in cultivated rows for seed pro.
Euct1on. 1t Is expected that future CO.
peration will be entered into this
oming spring Explicit instructions
re sent out with the seed for sowing
nd taking care of the crop. The
mall tracts scattered over the state
I'LL ofrm a leavening influence serv-
ng to put the alfalfa seed industry Il
within the hands of the farmers. Il
Pure Seed Associations. II