The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-03-13

In regard to moisture, the summer
Of 1912 was phenomenal in the Dako-
tas and Montana. The rains that fell
were timely. The crops were phe-
nomenal. They were SO bountiful in
both the Dakotas and Montana that
the same average of production may
not be realized again for many years
to come. The phenomenal crop of
1912 is not without it's dangers. The
hazard is present that some, yes,
many, will be lulled into sense Of
false security. They will feel like
saying, why should we give attention
to dry farming methods when we can
grow such crops as we grew last year.
1t should be remembered, however,
that a season so favorable as that of
1912 may not come again in 20 years.
Farmers do we'll to REM ember that the
average annual rainfall west of Minot
and Bismarck is around Is inches and
that in all probability it will never be
more. They should shape their work
accordingly. The work should be SO
conducted every year as though the
conviction were present that the next
year would be dry year. If the dry
year comes the farmer is then pre-
pared for it. If it does not come his
crops will just be so much better be-
cause of the special preparation that
has been given.
Should this year be dry, who will
get crops? The answer is not difficult.
Those who summer fallowed their
land and did the work properly will
get grain crop if they sow it i'll time
and do the work right, and give it
judicious narrowing, Those who have
grown corn or other cultivated crops
and taken due care Of it may likewise
look for an equally good grain crop.
None of these grain crops may be of
normal yield, but they will be such as
to repay the grower for his outlay.
But the unfortunate thing is that q
great majority Of the farmers in the
area under consideration did not have
any summer-fallow in 1912, nor did
they grow any cultivated crop. The
harvest was late. The after-harvest
weather was showery, very many far
mers did not stack the grain. The
showery weather hindered threshing.
The shocks IN the field hindered plow-
ing. The result is that the greater
portion of the land is still unplowed.
Suppose this year is unusua lily dry,
what is going to happen? This will
happen. Much of the moisture that
fell in 1912, and that had it been saved
would have insured crop in 1918 was
lost in the late fall, because the land
was not plowed and narrowed to him
der it's escape; when that land is
plowed in the spring more moisture
will escape, even though the land
should be packed. Much of the land
will be plowed and sown late if sown
at all. This will mean, that should
the season be abnormally dry, none of
WV NAOP WIZ NC SOOu, ds1O uluCu VI ~
will be total failure.
Many may answer, we could not
plow our land last fall, because tn e
grain shocks were OH the land. L
answer it was not necessary that the
grain shocks were OIL the land. A
part at least could have been stacked
and a part of the land could have
been plowed.
What then should be done when the
land is not plowed? Why, the farmer
should curtail the area of his grain
crops. The best that he can do is to
60 on and plow and SOW till the nor
NAL season is ended for sowing each
kind of grain, and then he shou Id
step sowing these grains. 10 continue
would be to gamble.
Flax and corn-fodder will be two
of the safest crops to plant, as they
may be grown under more dry con di.
tions than nearly all other crops.
When the season is too late for SOW
ing, the balance of the land should be
summer-fallowed, thus preparing it
for crop the following year, whether
that crop should be sown in the
autumn or in the spring.
Nn v)r,E b..