Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-01-31

travelling Afty-eight miles by automoplI'
and visiting five demonstration fields:
Weather fine. but roads very roueh
General advisory work In connection Wit
a barn being built. Livestock work wa
in the nature of a veterinary adviser
found a calf ut n OF my co.operators
badly out Of condition. Diagnosed cas-
as tuberculosis. Owner agreed to haV'
calf killed. Postmortem showed a yer!
aggravated case. as diagnosed"
Another agents reports:
"a very satisfactory day. Discussed
ventilation of a new barn that was unde
construction. and owner will follow on
our suggestions. He also intends t.
\ build a silo. chiefly because of our in
Huence. VIII probably build a concrete
or brick silo. Docked eighteen lambs
for same party.
Planned two chicken houses and
barn for three farmers.
Helped K. J. Lyness SOW alfalfa.
Talked Skugmo into building goot
chicken house.
Slowed alfalfa for a co-operator. Talk.
ed and drew barn plans for NJ. Shevlant
in the p. NJ"
A Day With an Agent
Here is the account Of a field agents
work given by Mr.. Walter A. Dyer, tho
managing editor Of Country Life ir
America:
II spent one whole day with Mr.. Cen.
ter on his rounds through Grand Forks
county. We covered 101 miles in his lit.
tie runabout over rutty gumbo roads
that had just taken care Of an inch OF
rainfall, and we visited a dozen farmers
Of high degree and low. I could tell OF
many interesting things that I saw-of
the enormous Elkland Farms at Lari-
more, with their six miles Of unbroken
wheat fields. where it takes all day to
run a furrow up and back; Of the East
mar place where We had dinner, where
the farm and equipment are worth close
to a quarter Of a million, every cent of
it wrested from the black loan Of the
Red River Valley: Of Sadies Mathews, a
young college graduate, who two years
ago took hold Of her fathers farm. and
who now works 1900 acres successfully,
is experimenting with, corn and alfalfa,
who with the aid of q single workman
built the first concrete silO in Grand
Forks county. and who still has time to
make a flower garden. But it remains
to tell of John Sanderson, who was a
roustabout and a farm hand seven years
ago, and who now owns a section and
a quarter and last year built a $1,000
house. Sanderson is one of Mr.. Center's
most devoted converts, and this is how
it happened.
Mr.. Center told the farmer that he
must grow something beside small
grains. Sanderson vas skeptical.
II planted corn once" he replied, but
it didn't do anytime"
Let me try a piece of your ground"
said Center. IN make it grow for YOU"
Reluctantly the farmer acquiesced. and
when the day appointed for planting ar
rived. Center was on hand with his Sc
lected seed. So was Sanderson, and SO
was an old fellow from somewhere in
the ~neighborhood who had lived in Illi-
nois and who claimed to be the only liv-
ing corn planter thereabouts. Center
gave him the seed corn, and the old corn
farmer proceeded to get into trouble
with the drill. The missionary watched
until he was sure that both the farmer
and his neighbor were at the end Of
their resources. when he quickly adjust-
ed the planter, took the reins. mounted
the seat, and asked Mr.. Sanderson to
stand at the other side Of the field as a
guide for the first row. III
Sanderson compiled with a grin. Here's
where he would have fun with the profess
sor. 1t was one thing to adjust a drill;
it would be another thing to drive It.
Center started the horses, and as he
approached the other side of the field
the grin gradually faded from the farm
er's face. When he horses had been
turned, the farmer squinted along the
row a. moment and then grasped the
professors hand.
Mr.. Center" said he, 'this is one on
me-. and Tn glad Of it. I wouldn't take
$40 for what I've seen today. We've had
plenty of know-it-alls come out here to
tell us how to farm, but at last, by
grief! they've sent us one that can show
US. Mr.. Center. you've drilled the straig
us. MIR. Center. you've drilled the
straightest row that's ever been drilled
in Grand Forks county. ana every farm
er in ten miles is going to see it."
"And, now" said Mr.. Sandcrson, in
telling his story to me. I'm Mr.. Cen
ter's man. If he tells me to plant a
quarter section Of bamboo. I'll plant, it,
Al He is Mr.. Center's. and to his
credit be II. said. He now has two fields
in corn and one in alfalfa. Under the
missionary's guidance he has laid out
his home grounds. made gravel drives
and q lawn. and planted trees and
shrubs-whichs North Dakota needs as
much as it needs corn. And the last I
heard. he was figuring on a pressure
tank. a bathroom, and running water
through his house. John Sanderson's
place will be a demonstration farm home
for the Better Farming association, and
a. better place for; John Sanderson and
his wife to live. in.
In the plans of the Better Farming
association the direct increase in the
material prosperity Of the state is not
the sole object in view. What Tom Coop
er and his men are aiming at is not
merely to enable the farmer to make
more money, but to make life easier on
the farm for the farmers wife and chill
dren, as well as for the farmer himself.
They are going at the solution Of this
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