Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-08-01
RAISING CORN AND ALFALFA.

..
RAISING CORN AND ALFALFA.
Minneapolis Journal: Argument is
no longer necessary to demonstrate
that in diversified farming lies the
| chief hope of the Northwest for steady
development. The single crop plan
has been outgrown, and progressive
farmers are no longer putting all their
eggs in n basket. The process Of
diversiiication has been going on for
some time in the parts OF Minnesota
that have been longest settled. as the
remarkable growth of the dairy inter.
est of the state shows. But the rails
ing Of cattle and hogs for the market
has Jagged. despite the great profits
to be derived therefrom. The Dako-
tas. which like Minnesota started as
wheat states. have made progress in
Investigation. They are now raising
cattle and hogs and ~reaping the ad-
vantages of a high and sure market.
Two crops are especially needed to
make cattle and hogs raising profita-
ble-corn and alfalfa. 1t used to be
supposed that corn could not be ma
tured 50 far north as Northern Mime.
sofa. but the fallacy Of this supposi-
tion has been repeatedly demonstrate
ed. Our northern corn is admirable.
The raising of alfalfa, however, is still
in its infancy in Minnesota. But
there can be no doubt that hardy var
ieties have now been found and de-
vcloped that will make it one of our
staple crops.
The beauty Of alfalfa is that. be-
sides yielding three crops of fine hay
every year, it fertiliZes the ground
meanwhile. 1t sends its roots deep
and brings up valuable fertilizing ele-
ments. But its greatest service is due
to the habit its roots have Of taking
free nitrogen from the air and leav-
ing it as fixed nitrogen in the soil.
Thus is accomplished by natural pro-
cess what scientists have long been
trying to do chemically. As a crop
to reclaim WORKOUT lands alfalfa is
for this reason invaluable. For ex-
ample. wheat grown on alfalfa sod
has yielded sixty-one bushels to the
acre. while wheat grown on timothy
sod in the same locality yielded but
forty-two. Barley and corn showed
similar results.
There are now five million acres of
alfalfa in the country, of which one
million are in Kansas alone-which
perhaps accounts for the fact that
most Kansas farmers own automo.
biles and have bank accounts.
Under the inspiration Of the Better
Farming Association. North Dakota
is making rapid progrc. s in the rails
ing of alfalfa and corn, and as a con-
sequence of cattle AVID hogs. In 1909
out OF sixteen million acres Of cult
waited land there werr only 3.033 scres
of alfalfa in North Dakota. IL 1912
this alfalfa area had grown 10 slight
ly over five thousand acres. This year
the total acreage is not yet definitely
known. but ii has Il ,upled aud pcriaCs
trebled. Within four or five years
there will be half a million acres Of
alfalfa in the stat. with in economic
value that can scarcely be estimated.
It is the basis on which tn. future
livestock production OF the state must
rest. The corn acreage has increased
from 1922 acres in 1909 to .32S. 900
in 1912 and to probably over 400 900
this year.. Hog production has in
creased 1873 per cent from 1910 to
4Cl6 dAAu al lCI5. ulSCCIl pNl CCl!l iLJ0
year. "
These achievements of North Da-
kota. largely due to the organized ef-
forts of the Better Farming Associa-
ton, point the way for Minnesota.
We must raise more corn and alfalfa.
more cattle and hogs. That way lies
wealth and prosperity.
A man who has made a million dol.
lars, or an idler who has inherited
a fortune, should be willing to pay a
reasonable income tax. The average
citizen who is working at low wages,
or on a small salary. is entitled to
this much help from his neighbor
higher up.
The superstition must be that If
Mr.. Bryan had been elected president
In 1885 or 1900 he would have found
the then salary Of 100000 a year too