The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1912-02-15
BETTER FARMING HAS ABLE
EXPONENT IN DIR. TAYLOR
Six Hundred Representative Farmers
Listen With Rapt Attention to
Convincing Facts

Attracted by the lecture of DR..
w. E. Taylor the largest crowd of
farmers seen in Oakes in many months
crowded our streets Monday afternoon.
1t was splendid day so far as weather
was concerned, and many came twenty
five miles or more that they might
hear an exponent of the better farming
methods.
Many came in time for noon luncheon
and about five hundred and fifty were
served at tables prepared in the city
hall. To give an idea of the amount of
food required it will only be necessary
to note that ninety pounds of sauer
kraut and wieners were dished up. only
one loaf was left of one hundred fifty
and besides this in bread there was
consumed twelve dozen biscuits, nine
boiled hams were sliced in the making
of sandwiches, and three wash boilers
full. of coffee were turned out to the
lunchers. 1t was real funny, as one of
the ladies aid women remarked, to see
those business men ''dope" up the stuff
and wash dishes, but they got along
very nicely. Not business man poked
his head in the door and saw the condi-
ton of things, but he pulled his coat
and went to work with a will. It was
one of those informal sffairs that Oakes
is noted for, and everybody is willing
to put his shoulder to the wheel and
help.
While luncheon was being served it
could be seen that good crowd had
gathered, and by two O'Clock every
seat in the opera house was filled. 1t
was mainly by farmers too, and some
had the good sense to bring along their
wives. Before the speaker commenced,
standing room vas az . premium, and
many had been turned away who sought
admission to the hall. About sixty
people also accepted the invitation 81
the speaker ana sat around him on the
stage.
President Malander of the CONNER
cial Club. in few well chosen remarks,
introduced the speaker. DR.. Taylor
prefaced his remarks by saying that u
week ago yesterday he met with an
accident wherein he suffered a fracture
of the breast bone. and apologized for
his physical condition. After paying q
Just tribute to Abraham Lincoln, whose
birthday was being commemorated all
over this broad land today, he launched
into the subject of better farming
methods.
He was farmer and always has
been. In former times farming was
looked upon as an occupation for the
strong and ignorant, but it, is one Of
the most noble professions Of all. The
boy and girl who masters farming has
a profession equal to any other on
earth. Scientific farming is only horse
sense applied to farming,
~, Farming had three distinct ana ses-
sential features, and the one was inter
dependent upon the other. They are;
Stock Raising; Tilling the Soil; Farm
Management.
In Stock Raising the requisite points
are breed and care; in Tilling the Soil
there were four essential points, namely.
seed bed, fertility Of soil, selection Of
seed and cultivation of the growing
plant; Farm Management consisted in
the proper rotation, cultivation and
handling Of the crops.
DR.. Taylor spoke more especially or
soil culture. He advised good, roomy
seed bed. The abundance, energy. and
ability Of plant roots depends greatly
on the room and freedom they have te
develop. Roots seek the course o1
least resistance, especially during the
tender age, and alta time the plant re-
quires the most assistance. If the
seed bed is shallow, the feeding ares
is restricted in both food and moisture
Such seed bed usually has q hard pan
preventing not only the penetration Of
tender roots, but stops the tender pas
sage of water and encourages the wash
ing away of surface soils and fertilit,
during heavy showers. A roomy seet
bed serves as a reservoir to catch ant
retain water until it percolates inte
the deeper subsoil. H ,nce for many
reasons the seed bed should be deep, {
condition accomplished by blowing AMI
tiiling deep. The process of deepening
the seed bed should be gradual, for th'
reason that subsoils or soils not rich il
humus are not productive, but are mad'
rich BY adding manure with each plow
ing or turning green crop Of som'
lind, preferably clover. COW pea vine
or soy beans.
In years such as.191o and 1911, whe!
there were such long periods Of droutl
during the growing season it was necea
sary that the moisture be conserved
This can be done BY making {, dec
oeed bed. The seed bed may NJ deep
ened By running . subsoiIsr y ever.
other furrow. II. i not bsst g g
dswn TIE full depth in ons ysar. by bu