The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-01-01

The first, ANIMAL report Of Sec
Thomas Cooper Of the Better Farming
association Of North Dakota was made
public yesterday. The report is very
complete and shows the results OBJ
tafned during the past year. Lack Of
space will not permit OF its being
published in The Forum in full, but
every farmer can obtain copy by ad-
dressing Mr.. Cooper at Fargo.
After outlining the purposes OF the
association and conditions in the state
Mr.. Cooper says:
The ProbIsn.
The problems of the agricultural
sections of the state are to a great
extent economic and social rather than
the immediate question of production.
Under the systems OF farming which
have been developed the North Dakota
farmer has become expert in the pro-
duction of the small grains cheaply.
Farmers generally are well acquainted
with the methods of agriculture which
will enable them TO produce crops.
They are not familiar, however, with
the methods Of farm management re-
ing, or where new crops and live
stock are TO be used Much additional
knowledge is necessary.
The fundamental problem then, con :
sists In arousing action among farm
ers and the public to such an extent
that new systems of farming. new
crops. and livestock will be generally
adopted This necessitates the crea-
tion OF a new sentiment toward our
farm lands, and toward the farm as 3
permanent source OF sealth and of In
come. Briefly. the basic agricultural
problems confronting the work Of this
association may be classified as, first,
the maintenance Of the fertility OF the
soil involving new cropping systems
and the use Of livestock; second. the
introduction and general use Of new
economic crops. such as clovers,
alfalfa, winter grains, and corn; third,
the business reorganization Of the
farm for greater profits: fourth. the
farm home, its surroundings. and the
social features that pertain TO a pro-
gressiye and contented rural popula :
tion. This broad classification OF the
agricultural problems OF the state m
ciudeg the forms Of agricultural activ-
ity which have for their purpose the
direct development Of permanent.
stable, and systematic agricultural
THE Plan Of Work.
The Agricultural problems are so
broad and far reaching that compre-
.hensive plan of development must
touch the very foundations Of the eco
norlic and social life Of the agri-
cultural sections OF the state. In
Formulating the work 1t has been
clearly kept in mind that progress IN
any Industry IS dependent upon the
Individual This is especially true ~
agriculture, where the unit group en-
gagged IN production consists usually
OF family and an employee seldom
two employees. Hence the plan ci
work has been based on personal con
tract with the individual who is act
ualiy engaged in production.
The plan OF work as formulated con
sisfs OF demonstrations which viii IL
lustrate certain agricultural facts af
they apply TO the locality. eliminating
finally III q general advisory work ~
regard to the management Of the farm
and special farm problems which may
exist. The work may be broadly
classified as. frst. field deEaonstra-
tSons: second, livestock demSnskra-
tEons; third. farm mans cement az
visory work
Field paucustatioDs
Field denonstratinns have been in.
ntitufcd iii the following forms:
fas Demonstration plafs. areas n
twenty to $50 acres or which 3 rota'
tlen has been adopted lnNoivsn2
methods of culture and tiilage thai
are applicable To the local condit tlons
fb) Demons trzfiofs fields. areas 81
one third to severeI acres on WI1lcl
the growing of new afd special crops
Is demonstrated,
(nD Denaonstrat tipn farms. e laief
the farm as " Wliols, including its llYe'