The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-05-06
LATE PLANTED
CROPS IN N. D.
PROF. THOMAS SHAW TELLS OF
: CROPS THAT MAY BE PLANTED
. LATE AND STILL HAVE GOOD
! RETURNS - URGES LARGER
ACREAGE OF LATE CROPS,

Prof. Thos. Shaw. n of the best
known agricultural experts Of the
northwest, discussing good crops for
the late spring says:
In North Dakota the season for
sowing is abnormalIylate, owing in part
to the late coming Of spring, in part
to the wet condition Of much of the
land when spring opened, and in part
to the very small percentage Of the
land that was plowed last autumn.
Even with favorable weather through
out May, therefore, the sowing of
grain will be unusually late, which
means that such sowing will be at
tended with more or less of hazard
to the grain crop, even though the
season should prove favorable. If
the season should prove ~unfavorabIe,
which is d possibility, the sowing of
grain late would be attended with
great loss.
why should the farmer incur such
hazard? While there is a time in SOW
ing and. planting beyond which hazard
to he crop, fortunately that
time varies much with different crops.
Why then would it not be a wise plan
to lessen the area of these crops that
cannot be sown or planted in season
able time, and increase the area. of
those crops that come later and that
therefore may be SoWn in season?
OF the crops that must usually be
sown early If they are to do we'll, are
wheat, spring rye, peas, and speltz;
of those that come a little later are
oats and barley. Those which come
still later include flax, corn, beans and
millet. Would it not be the part of
wisdom, therefore, to restrict the area
sewn to wheat and the other early
crops named, and to increase the area
of the late soWn crops2 .i a
Flax may be sown much later than
wheat n yet be in season. While
1t is usually hazardous to SOW wheat
much after the end of April, fax may
be soWn with safety up to the end of
May. The sowing may even extend
a few days into June, but not beyond
that lest the grain may not ripen.
Why then should not this be a flax
year? The seed is not dear. 1t is
when seed is very dear that men
should go slow with reference to the
acreage that they will SOW.
Barley also may be sown quite late,
e into the first days of June. The
yield will usually be less than from
early sown barley, still it may be at
least fair. Sowing it thus late will
render substantial aid in the battle
against weeds. Why should not this
be a barley year?
Corn may be safely planted up to
the end of May. Seed is easily obtain
able the present season and the
quality is much ahead of what it was
in 1912. Why not make this a corn
year n North Dakota? Why o plant
large areas of corn to provide fodder
and largo arnoe oIcn pf emo II o1.nxyino
varieties on which to fatten swine in
the autumn, the swine harvesting the
corn? In this way large areas Of the
land would be cleaned as a result of
the cultivation given to the corn. The
moisture also would be conserved hat
a good crop of grain would be obtain
ed from the corn land the next year.
Beans nay be planted up to June
l., OF curse there are areas in North
Dakota where the extensive growing
of beans would not be safe, owing to
the early coming of autumn frosts.
But there are other areas in which
this hazard seldom comes. Where
beans a be safely and successfully
grown they are a profitable crop, and
fine yields Of grain may be obtained
from bean land the following wear.
Why not make this a bean year in
such localities?
"Millet may be sown safely in nearly
all parts of North Dakota, as late as
June 10. The conditions in the state
are quite favorable to it's successful
growth. This is true Of it whether
grown on the broadcast plan OF in
rows and cultivated. The latter plan
is sometimes adopted when growing,
broom corn or hog millet for seed.
Better crops of wheat will be obtain
ed after millet than when wheat fol-
lows grain. Why not make this a
millet year in North Dakota?"