Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-12-26

yield secured on the farms OF which the
tests have been conducted we're ap-
proximately as follows; wheat 81
bushels. barley. AZ bushels and oats, IS
bushels, as compared to an average for
the whole country OF 1873 bushels Of
wheat, 24.3 bushels of barley and 303
bushels of oats, In other words these
tests have demonstrated the practicability
OF doubling grain yields and even sur
passing the high figures which the cnl-
~tivation Of the sugar beet has brought
about in Germany. That they. arc far
in excess of the yields secured from
the same land under the old methods is
indicated by the fact that MinncSota's
wheat yield for this year is estimated a.
II bushels an acre.
"This," explains Mr.. Hill. us but The
beginning Of an cducative process which
will be carried out on a larger scale next
year"
The German farmer, who t%hirty-fvc
years ago, averaged NJ greater yield per
acre than his American cousin, has
increased his yield nearly 100 per cent.
in that period by planting his grain crops
in rotation with the sugar beet, Incl
dentally the utilization Of the sugar beet
has enabled Germany to produce all her
own sugar with a $!O.0OO,0W annual
surplus for export. Mr.. Hill is emphatic
in his advocacy Of the beet as 4 farm
rejuvenator.
"The beet sugar advocates" he says,
argue that sugar beet cultivation raises
the average of all other crops raised in
the same district. The figures show this
to be true. 1t is due to the fact that it
cannot be grown successfully without
deep blowing, frequent narrowing, and a
general resort to more intensive %cultiva-
ton. That will insure large crops Of
anything where the soil is not sterile.
Whatever the valuable and suggestive.
sugar beet statistics may prove in other
respects. they establish conclusivcly, by
sucf, comparisons as hat between, the
United States and Germany, the practic-
ability of doubling by better methods
the acre yield of all our principal farm
products"
IN fact, statistics gathered from scores
Of farmers scattered through the sugar
beet states. who have planted beets III
rotation with other crops ono year out
Of four, show even more remarkable
results than Mr.. Hills experiments.
Their average yield per acre is: v
Wheat Barley Oats
Bushels A.1 s9.l4 600
These results were not from expert
ment stations or model fields, but ON
mcrcial farm run for profit. They bear
out the statement that the sugar bee, Fan
dc for the United States what it has
done for Europe, and that the American
farmer, by taking thought, can do better
than his European cousins at their own
game. The success Of the sugar beet in
this country both rs a crop of great
value in itself and as a means Of in
creasing the yield of other crops grown
in rotation with it has already been
demonstrated. Nearly 100000 tons of
beets were harvested this year and unless
adverse legislation renders the industry
unable to continue in competition with
the lower wages and the bounties ard
tariff protection used to stimulate it in
foreign countries it is believed that its
expansion viii be rapid. since once tic
farmer has seen his neighbor with the
aid of a very profitable sugar beet crop
doubling his yield Of grains he is more
and more rapidly making a similar op-
portunity for himself. At present while
American farm progress has Jagged until
it has fallen far behind that of Europe.
For this reason the tests which MI. Hill
has been carrying on have been Of
particular Importance and their results
as they are now coming in arc looked
upon as of the greatest significance for
the farmers Of the country III their effort
to improve this condition.