The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-02-08

"N+1 = 49, - NA@N
| yielded a gross return of 1902. cost
$500 and yielded a net return of $2.9b.
Oats INK lei gave a gross return Oh
S10.23, cost $3.50 and gaye a net re-
turn of $1.73-the lowest net return
of any crop produced on this farm.
Corn gave a gross return of SASS,
cost 1927, giving a net profit of S5.41.
Winter rye, grown but one year in
1912, an exceptionally good year, gave
d gross return of S15.0S, cost $7.SS,
gave a net return of $7.70.
The. farm at New Salem which has
now run seven years is taken as a
type of the Missouri slope country and
seems to prove h q a rotation such
as we use here will give reasonable
net returns after all expenses have
been paid including rental at s per
cent.
Bathgate is the oldest demonstra-
ton farm in the Red River valley on
typical Red River valley soil. This
land was broken up in the spring of
1882 and has been cropped to small
grains almost continuously until the
spring of 1907 when 1t was chose for
demonstration farm purposes. 1t was
thoroughly infested with Canada
thistles, sow thistles, French weeds,
wild oats n some, Kingheads at the
time 1t was taken for this purpose and
a six year rotation was put in practice,
which consisted of the following crops
in the order named: clover wheat,
corn, wheat, barley in, which clover
was again Sown as a nurse crop. In
the six years that this farm has been
in operation thirty-six different crops
nave been produced OF that many diff
ferent fields. Using the same method
of figuring as that used at New Salem
we find that wheat in 1907 produced
a net return of $6.47 an acre; In 1908,
GT 90 ~ 1nnn 4lA w~z-AgN fyNnr 90 QOs
in 1910, $500; in 1911, SASS and in
1912, $685. per acre. Hard wheat on
his farm gave an average gross re-
turn of $3.50; cost $10.75 to produce
it and yielded a net income Of 1915
an acre. Oats gave a gross return of
$3.50 an acre, cost $10.82 and yielded a
net income of $5.13. Oats and peas
used for hay were grown three years
and gave a gross income of $20.6S,
cost $10.67 and yielded a net income of
so an acre. Corn gave a gross in
come of $1S.15, cost $10.80 and gave a
net, income of $7.35., Barley gave a
gross income of $12.76. cost $3.50 to
produce and gave a net income Of
$5.45. Glover grown three years
for hay and feed, cost 1920 to produce
and yielded a net income Of $22.36 an
acre. The average net profit of each
acre for six years on this demonstra-
ton farm equalled $500. The weed
have not all been eliminated from his
farm but their numbers have been
greatly reduced in the past six years
by the rotation practiced. To get the
value of corn and hay crops grown in
this rotation, 1t would in most cases
be necessary to feed these crops on the
farm and that would be essential in
order to get enough manure to manure
one field every FIVE or six years as has
been the practice in these rotations
described, but the keeping Of such
stock would have a tendency to in
crease rather than decrease the net
profits given above.
Weather Data Is Kept.
On each of the demonstration farms
a rain gauge is set together with max
imum and minimum thermometers and
most Of the managers are in co-opera-
ton with the U. s. weather depart
ent. In this n 1t Is expected
some very valuable weather data will
be gathered which otherwise would not
be obtained. These small weather sta
tions scattered throughout the state
will become more AND more valuable
as time goes on. ~
Distribution of Pedigreed Seeds. a
On each Of these demonstration
farms the very best seed obtainabIe is
SSCuEbr w LSu Tie oAIiS "SlS hlSb
put in operation the farmer generally
seeded his land with the seed which
was sent him from the main station
here at Fargo or from some of the sub
stations. The seed he obtained from
this he sowed over the balance of his
farm a year or two later and this seed
he has in many cases distributed to
his neighbors and they in turn distrib-
uted to their neighbors so the demon
| stration farm has become a center for
the distribution Of the pure seeds
which the experiment station origin
ates at Fargo. After this seed mas
been grown and carefully inspected in
the field by the experiment station
staff, it is tested for it's purity and
termination in the seed laboratory of
the station and if it is satisfactory it
is cleaned up and sealed and sacked
with a. lead seal Large quantities of
this seed has been distributed through
out the state during the past two sea
sons and this year there is a sufficient
quantity of this seed to sell it in car
load lots. Several of these carloads
have been sold to local seed men. 1t
is cleaned up and sealed and they sim
ply distribute this seed. AS the ma.
chinery at the experiment station is
not large enough to sell large quaint
ties of the improved seeds that work
properly belongs to the selling depart
ments of the seed firms, but where a
new variety is originated the small
quantities are sent out and distributed
as advocated by the experiment station
! itself. n if such proves valuable the