Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-05-29
PROSPERITY Of THE farmer
DEPENDS ON Sane HUSbANDRY
"Bossie to the Rescue"-- Dairying is Coming
Rapidly to the Front in State of
North Dakota

That experience teaches, indeed is,
in fact, probably the most successful
instructor of the human race, finds no
more forcible illustration than is to
be found in the present condition of
agriculture in the state of North Da-
kota. For years this state has been
practically a one-crop commonwealth,
and when it is considered that more
than seventy per cent OF Our people
are residents of the country districts
and directly engaged in the tilling of
the soil, the disproportionate depend
ence upon the success OF failure of this
one grain-wheat-in any given season,
is still further emphasized. 1t is a
fact that in many of the older settled
counties there is land that has been
cropped continuously to wheat for
thirty consecutive years, with possibly
an occasional change to oats or bar
ley. The inevitable result has followed.
Gradually the yield per acre and quail
ity of the grain raised has steadily
deteriorated; the land has become so
foul with weeds and the top soil so
exhausted of humus, that only the COM
paratively higher prices obtained dur
ing the past few years, as compared
with the rates obtaining during earlier
times, have interviewed between many
agriculturists and absolute ruin.
During all these years the persist
ent cry of our agricultural investiga-
tors and teachers has been for rotation
of crops and general Investigation
Not however until bitter experience
had endorsed the verdict of the Stats
tician and expert was any great heed
paid to the writings, lectures and DEM
onstrations so indefatigably offered.
Now, however, a change is to be not
3D. and it is a cause for universal con-
graduation that at last the awakening
has come and widespread and earnest
movement is observable in all quarters
for sane methods in husbandry, by
means of rotation Of crops and a we'll
balanced Investigation along other
lines of agricultural endeavor.
The most noticeable of these new
departures is that of dairying. For
many years the campaign of education
has been in progress. Often the way
looked dark and the difficulties in
superable. The inertia of farmers
themselves was by no means the least
of the obstacles to be overcome
Suitable cattle were scarce; distances
were great; milk routes hard to es-
tablish upon paying basis; in many
instances capital for the new under
taking was hard to secure and prices
for cream and its products were too
often hardly remunerative. Time and
perseverance however will work won
ders, and this axiom proved its truth
in the present instance. Gradually the
propaganda began to meet with re-
spouse; interest was aroused; scatter
ing creameries were established; sires
of dairy breed were introduced; great
er attention to feeding problems was
bestowed and fodder crops grown and
gathered; cream routes became we'll
recognized features of agricultural life,
and, in a score OF other ways the dawn
ing of new era in husbandry became
apparent.
Indicative of the new sentiment may
be mentioned the fact that during the
year 1911 there were sold in North
Dakota 10000 cream separating ma
chimes. Sales made so far in 1912 in
dictate even a greater total for the cur