The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-05-27
FARMERS ADOPT BETTER
FARMING IDEA GLADLY

There Is no longer any DON for
doubt over the question of whether or
not North Dakota farmers are ready to
change their farming methods. That
fact has been proved so conclusiNely
by the manner in which the activities
of the North Dakota Better Farming
association have been received. that
the promoters of that organization
have reason to feel thoroughly salts
fed with the progress that has been
made to date.
The association experts who have
been sent into the field under the
leadership of Director Thos. Cooper,
have been virtually received with
open arms by the farmers. The the
DRY of better farming which. in years
gone by. has been exploited from the
lecture platform. has taken on ma
terial form now, and the experts en-
from farm TO farm. explaining the
various questions that arise. and even
going into the fields n helping the
farmer drive n drill. or handle Il pillow.
Farming methods in nearly a score
Of counties are being changed directly
through tho work of these experts. In
the other counties. the sentiment that
has been created by their work is be
ing felt, and before the end of the
year the entire state will be receiving
benefits from the activities Of the or
ganiZation.
Is Not An Experiment..
In n sense, the great work that
has been undertaken in North Da-
kota, is not an experiment. II is based
upon scientific study of the farming
situation: it is in the hands of a man
thoroughly capable and alive to agri-
cultural possibilities. and the results
are assured by reason of that fact.
The associations activities V an
unusually wide range: nothing that is
of interest to tho farmer is overlooked.
and the individual needs and require
ments of the different farmers. so far
as agricultural information or advice
is concerned. is given.
Experts who have nee a signed TO
different counties arc going about
their work in a thorough mannc
They are in tho fields now all the time
with the farmers. showing them how
to seed various grains. how to till the
sown n when they should he
planted. And. again, they are assist
ing the farmers in caring for live
stock, in improving their herds of
dairy cattle. n in giving more at
tention to poultry. Then, too, some
are engaged in promoting the produc-
ton of small fruits and new grains
III 81 isStS' tllil IL IltN ~ lllt Jam ~
ers, or a majority of the farmers, at
least. of this state.
just how effective the work is is
best shown by a review of the situa-
ton in several of the counties into
which the experts have beer Sent
through the combined efforts of the
state association. and the business
men of those various counties.
The experts who are in the field,
under the direction of Secretary
Thomas Cooper. the former farm
management man of Minnesota. are:
J. v. Bopp. Fcssenden; w. II. Burns.
New Rockford: o. d. Center. Grand
Forks: Edwin Maryland. Valley City;
w. a. Peck. Minot; a. +. Borchert.
jamestown; r. b. Coglan. Lansford;
j. W. Haw. Lansdon; NJ. B. johnson.
Bottineau; r. T. kristjanson, Milton;
". r. Lanxon. Hettinger; T. e. Mills,
Bowman; c. II. Ruziclla. Fargo; O..
A. Scllollander. Montpelier; O. O.. Uhl-
horn mt f. W. White.
No Detail Too Small.
No detail of farm management, no
feature of the production question. is
so small that ii does not receive the
attention of these experts. and before
the season is over about 10000 acres
of land will ho cultivated under the
direction of the association men. Next
Year the acreage will be even greater.
North Dakota's better farming
movement is based on the situation
that exists in this state with relation
to the method of cropping. which in
many localities is Very poor. 1t is
aimed to improve these conditions.
and the manner in which those ends
are sought is interesting.
Barnes County.
In Barnes county. under tho diroc-
ton of Edwin Maryland. ninety coop
orators lave been signed up, and with
these men the association has under
supervision l02 demonstrations along
the following lines: Corn. 30 acres
alfalfa in 3S different plots: rotation
of crops, 1856 acres in plots on seven
different farms: clover and timothy,
thirty acres on seven different plots;
potatoes. seven acres in four plots;
pedigree seed harley. 46 acres in five
fields: pedigree wheat. so acres in two
fields; flax, ten acres: oats, 9 acres:
peas. 4 acres. The corn is being
raised for breeding and selection our
poses. and to show killing methods.
Records on poultry are being main
tanned at farm and demonstration
in farm management is being carried
out on four farms. Two farmers
clubs have been organized with a to-
tai membership of abou fifty.
Boys Interested.
In cooperation with the county
superintendents of schools. the asso-
citation has organized a county boys
corn growing contest. One hundred
boys have pledged themselves to grow
one acre of corr and over 200 have
pledged themselves to grow from a
fourth to a half acre of corn. The
corn is furnished or approved by the
better farming expert. The boys will
grow and value the corn under the
direction of the associations repre-
sentative.
In connection with the boys con-
test, an industrial exhibit has been ar
ranged for every town in the county,
concluding with a general county con-
test.
Conditions in Ransom.
There are PSI acres of Ransom
county land under tillage the work or
which is being directed by G. c. Uhl-