The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-03-29

AdtO. tbs utuSuteT Was I'd De mar
ried shortly. He was. farmer him
self and he wanted to come up here
He asked me: What is it that
makes this county so famous for its
products. There is no reason why
this land is as cheap as it is except
that it. is as cheap as it is.' He
also left little money, $5,400. to
help his brother to get start. This
shows that the farmers of Illinois
are not without money when they
consider S5,400 little money.
"Now these meetings are to be
open to the public. There is man
here from Chaska who wants to
start a beet sugar factory here, In
volving an investment of 100000
and, now the question arises, Can
we get them here; is our soil adapt
ed to the raising of sugar beets?'"
Mr. Cray then cited the success of
another district where sugar beets
were grown successfully. If they
made a. success there, there was no
reason why it could not be done
here.
aren't we going to increase the
products of our land materially--so
that we don't have to import food
stuffs we are now doing? Why
shouldn't we raise two bushels of
grain where one grows now? Isn't
it shame that we can't raise all
our foodstuffs and must import.
"Also this will result in keeping
our boys from chasing rainbows. 1t
will keep them at home instead of let
ting them go. to Texas, Dakota, etc.
The taxes in most places are higher,
too. The southern part Of theUnited
States may mako alluring offers but
many of them are very deceptive.
But buying land there is specula-
ton always; you have 50 many OBJ.
stacles. living among the black race,
and a multitude of other things that
detmct from real value, that there
would be no necessity for farmers
going there or in Canada"
Cleaning Seed Wheat.
Frank e. Browder was then intro
duced and spoke on the question of
cleaning seed at the Hubbard mill.
He said that the farmers are becom-
ing more learned in the methods of
cleaning seeds i, and raising better
grain. E5, .
snow we have put in machines
in the elevator building for the
cleaning of wheat, with no expense
to. the farmers. About 25 per cent
of the bulk seed Is waste seed that
is nothing but screenings, while the
rest is good seed.
1--WE want to impress upon you rs
strongly as we can the importance
of cleaning wheat seed. We sent a
sample of cleaned wheat to the ex-
detrimental station and they found it
100 per cent pure. Now if you are
without seed we will be only too
glad to sell it to you. We want the
farmers to have good healthy seed,
for upon this depends a great deal
the success with which the subse-
quent crop is raised. .... -.
Possibility of the Soil.
Mr.. Scribner of Rosendale, Wis,
then discussed the possibility of the
farm. soil and crop production and
stock raising. eve have the stock,
land, ETC., and we should have the
men to make a success of the farm.
One thousand emigrants moved into
Minnesota within the last twenty
days. There is no better place on
Gods green earth than right here.
We have the greatest possibilities
before us. We are just beginning to
learn how to be good farmers-just
beginning to know why this and
that is SO. We are beginning to
study soil and it is mighty inter.
esting study. -.-.
81 have a small farm-not a big
one, and that is what we should
have, not large one that we can't
take care of. / have eighty acres
and I want to raise all can from
this farm instead of scattering all
over a large farm and not doing it
rightly. 1t improves the soil that
makes it possible to get all there is
out of it-this getting humus into
the soil.
"We use diversified farming and
rotation crops and we find our farms
getting better, we raise larger crops. |
Now there is one thing we should
seriously and that is fer
,iliZer. l have been pestered with
commercial fertilizers but that costs |
money and you are not sure Of get
ing any results. 1t did not do me
yery much good. I want rotation of |
:rops and the good old reliable barn
yard fertilizer.
81 don't believe in natural fertil-
ty; I believe in live stock farming.
am a crank on this with a theory.
wouldn't give a tinkle for man
without a theory. And l believe in
,orn. A few years ago Wisconsin
lid not raise much corn but today
hat is one of the largest crops
;rown there.
And then there is the selection of
eeds-that most important question.
We don't hang corn out to dry on
he window sill any more. We dry
tho hast ua kuow how in ordo.