Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-08-03
DEMONSTRATION
farm MEETING
Successful gathering at Mcleod,
and much Illuminating infor-
nation impaired.
(supt. W. r. POTTERY

Over $50 people gathered at the
annual Demonstration Farm picnic
held on the Mcleod Demonstration
farm at Mcleod, N. d., on the 18th
of July. Many people. came In the
forenoon and enjoyed their lunch in
the grove, which is only four years
old yet many of the trees are nearly
twenty feet in height. This grove is
composed of white willow, golden will
low, green ash, boxelder, and Ameri-
can elm, and was planted from seed
lings and cuttings in the spring Of
1910. Some farmers were heard to
remark that they did not believe it
possible that trees would make such
a growth in so short = period of time.
Compass cherries planted at the
same time were fully loaded with
fruit. The same is true of the For
est Garden plum trees; these trees
were heavily mulched a year ago
mice working in the straw which
was used for a mulch caused the
death of a few trees and it illustrat-
ed the fact that great care must be
used not to make the mulch too
heavy, if straw is used for that pur-
pose.
Alfalfa is Very Successful.
Perhaps the most striking thing on
this. farm is the alfalfa crop. Alfal-
ia was planted on the sandy knobs,
where every farmer in the country
said nothing would grow, in the
Spring of 1911. The first two plant
ings made early in June were en-
tirely destroyed as they came up by
the drifting sand. The third crop.
planted on the 18th of June produced
a good stand as the soil did not move
until it had attained some little
height and was able to resist the cut
ting action OF the sand. This field
produced. excellent yields of alfalfa
both in 1912 and 1913. The first
crop had been cut the middle of June
this year and yielded approximately.
5000 pounds of air dry hay per acre.
The second cutting was almost
ready to cut. The stand was APP
proxima.ely twenty inches inAheight,
very thick all over the ground, and
a few plants were beginning to bios
SON.. With this crop removed by the
middle Of July, it would be quite pos
slble to make the third cutting the
latter part of August. One farmer
was heard to- say that it took a good
deal of persistency to get a good
stand of alfalfa on the sand hills, but
it looked as though they would make
the best land once the sand of alfal-,
IA was obtained. One thing which
attracted a great deal of attention In
the alfalfa field was a hole which
was dug nine feet deep. Along the
side of this the alfalfa roots could be
seen extending down to a depth OF
nine feet in the soil. This caused q
good deal of discussions. One farmer
was heard to say he would have been
willing to bet his last dollar that al
falfa roots would not 60 down in the
soil more than a foot and a half. 1t
was a revelation to him to see them
20 down III feet and still going.
Going down to thai depth, OF course,
they would gather plant foods and
water to keep the alfalfa alive and
growing during dry periods.
Rcd Top 10 Valuable Hay for Low
lands.
The land at Mcleod is su3-irrigat-
ed, gently rolling; the high land is
sandy hills and the depressions be-
ing slcughs much Of the season be
ing filled, with wat On the lower
land red top was sown in the spring
Of 1910. This has produced excellent
crops since it was sown-it yielded
approximately two Ions of excellent
hay per year. The red top on the
lower ground and the alfalfa begin.