Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-03-16
proper extension of information

proper extension OF Information t(
farmers. :
The work with. wheat: In thu
work with wheat under the Adams
investigation, we have carried for
ward a large series of properly check
ed and guarded experiments and have
lived so closely in the field with the
crop while growing as to attain con
clusions which are f%ar-reaching, if we
are right, These conclusions are es
sentially this. That the so-called de-
terioratioM' OF wheat, under constant
cropping is not due primarily to lost
fertility, but rather to u%nsanitary con.
ditions Of seed and soil and to the IN
sanitary methods Of handling farm fer.
tilizers and the %unsanitary methods
of arranging crop rotations. In other
words, we have come to such conclus'
ions as will allow US to assert that
t:le theory as to conditions Of deteriol'
alton as is usually mentioned by tho
chemist as due to lost nitrogen, los,
humus, deficiency in phosphates, lint,
etc, is not primarily correct. There
fore the reasons usually given for
crop rotation, namely; that such crop
rotation improves :he crop because of
material modification Of the fertility
is not well based. | believe that
eventually we will be able to write
such a classification OF proper crops
in rotation as to essentially eliminate
the so-called deterioration now men
toned, provided proper methods of
seed selection. seed disinfection and
manure application are also provided
for.
The details Of these experiments
cannot be given in one or two publica-
tions, but will follow in an orderly
manne after the general statement
CT conditions. When proper arrange
ment is made with reference to soil
and seed sanitation and manure puri-
fication. Large amounts of certain
types of fertilizers and manure may
be applied without harm as has been
proved in the case Of potatoes: but as
often observed by the practical farm
er the application Of fresh barnyard
manure is apt to be harmful as bene-
fetal under the present methods of
crop rotation.
The Internal Seed Diseases: Our
experiments have c0nclusively prov.
Ell that the average seed is internally
attacked by from one to many types
of parasitic organisms (fungi,) any
one of which can prevent the produc-
ton Of thoroughly normal seed even
on the average new land. These d.
seases get carried into the barn-yard
by way of the straw and rubbish and
get carried into the new ground by
way Of the seed and fresh uncompost-
ed manures, etc.
Deterioration on Native Lands:
Some of these diseases of wheat at
tack other crops and other native
thus in part accounting for the
fact that new or virgin sod lands
which have lain idle in the interior OF
the great wheat belt do not now, with
any certainty, produce high quality
Wheat when first plowed as the same
Of land cnce did. This is further
made clear by the fact that the drift
ing brought about by the wash waters
and winds carry the disease from field
to field and bring about infection of
even these new lands.
Details OF this and other experiment !!
work will be given in the regular bull
|etins Of the department and the more
practical features will be found eX-
pressed in the press bulletins regular.
issued by the departments.
Respectfully submitted,
II. l.. BOLLEY,
BOtaniSt. N. d A. {.