The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1914-10-29
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THE SAFE WAY. Z
Reprinted from the Oct. 18th is

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Q THE SAFE WAY. =
. Reprinted from the Oct. 18th is >
10 sue Of The Dakota Farmer. q
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wheat is bound to be high next
year; raise all you cam" is the text Of
articles appearing in many papers;
and indeed it seems to be the opinion
Of many that this is the proper thing
to do.
Yes, wheat may be high-very like
ly will be as high or higher than it is
now
And if sufficient yield-per-acre is
obtained, no doubt wheat will be a
profitable crop next year.
But do you remember those years
when the average farmer did not raise
enough wheat per acre to wad q gun
Do you remember those years when
in many localities even the best farm
ers didn't cut an acre Of wheat; and
when much of the wheat cut did not
pay for the expense? M
Do you remember those years when
the wheat failed by reason of a few
days hot wind-or from black rust
when other crops came through all
right?
Haven't you-most Of you anyway
been exerting every effort to get away
from exclusive wheat raising? Have
MT you realized the Importance Of get
ting into stock more? Haven't you
been raising some corn, q little winter
rye, q few acres of potatoes Haven't
you discovered that there are several
varieties of forage crops which will
do well practically every year, and
that by exercising proper forethought
you can produce feed for stock every
year?
Have you noticed the splendid green
of the alfalfa fields this fall, even in
the localities where few days Of
whitening winds cooked the wheat?
Do you remember the years when
wheat was high and you hadn't any
or only q very little-to sell; the years
when the wheat you did raise cost you
from $3.50 to $1,000 bushel-and
more-to produce?
What good did high prices do you
then? '5'
Then why should we plunge on
wheat? Haven't most of the cold
timers" been stung enough?
Safety First.
Safety first" is coming to be we'll
nigh national slogan. First the rail-
roads took it up; and some of the
companies have achieved wonderful
results by pounding the idea of safety
into every one connected with the road,
from the president down. Then fac
tories all over the country took up the
$t,n - Eel
ings in producing cost, in addition to
the saving of life and limb. The idea
has now been introduced into business
of all kinds; and while the original
idea of safety first" was to safeguard
life and limb it now means that and
much more-means to safeguard the
business in every possible way
And why shouldn't farmers adopt
this slogan?
If it is good for business of other
kinds, it is good for the business Of
farming.
True, wheat is one of the principal
crops of The Dakota Farmer Empire;
and here we probably will always raise
a large acreage Of wheat.
It has taken us-some of us-n1any
years to learn that there is more to
wheat raising than merely to scratch
the ground and shoot in the seed. It
has been demonstrated that good
farming pays, even in the raising Of
wheat.
So let US apply the knowledge gain
ed through the years and this idea Of
safety first" to this matter Of wheat
raising. If the prices are to be high
next wear we want to participate in
the profit thereof. But we must raise
a crop of sufficient yield-per-acre if
even high prices are profitable.
So let US get after this yield-per
acre business and try to give every
acre planted the best possible chance
and timely blowing, a good Seed bed,
good seed, proper and timely seeding
and cultivation are all important fac
tors.
But don't put all your eggs into one
basket!