The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-22

S
! South Dakota exhibit of the Interna-
tional Dry Farming Congress now In
session at the Forum indicates a most
gratifying interest" said A. N. Hume.
lege. Mr.. Hume is here attending the
congress with the exhibit of the col.
lege in cooperation with the United
States Department Of Agriculture.
The South Dakota Legume exhibit
is easy 10 read. 1t is designed to EN-.
phasize the fact that there are many
varieties and strains of alfalfa, and
of other nitrogen-gathering plants as
well. Nitrogen-gathering plants are
those which may bear nodules on
their roots, and though these by means
of the bacteria in them secure nitro
gen from the air. Then when the
legume plant is plowed under its nj.
trogen enriches the soil for the later
grain crops. You may see the legume
roots put up in glass jars at the con,
gress.
These various kinds OF alfalfa
plants are put in wooden cabinets and
arranged in a space along a wall
covering thirty feet. The fronts of
the cases are of transparent celluloid
and the mounted specimens them.
selves are a beautiful sight from an
artistic standpoint.
Moreover they have great educ
tional value in showing the advanced
work of South Dakota in testing ali
alta varieties. Many Of these var
ieties were introduced into the United
States by n. E. Hansen from Siberia
and are now under field trial by the
agronomy department. The framed
specimens at the congress are labeled
with their Asiatic names. These
names were especially noted yester-
day by Mr.. II. X. Janzen of Hillsboro,
Kansas. Mr.. Janzen said: Those
plants look like home to me; every
one of them,'" and he named them
over from the labels. 'Omsk, Dou, Sar-
atov, Irkutsk. know them, every one.
In the old country, | have moved much
yellow-f1owered alfalfa for hay with a
cythe. The very best hay in the
world
above these frames which hold the
alfalfa specimens are five large pla-
cards which state striking facts about
South Dakota agriculture. One of
these is labeled Nitrogen Seventy
six million bushels of corn were har-
vested from South Dakota soils in
1912, and that removed from the soil
10000. 900 pounds of nitrogen. A ST.
600, ~000-bushel wheat crop removed 74,-
600 900 pounds and almost lone of it
was ever returned to the soil. In corn,
wheat, oats and barley in 1912 South
Dakota removed from her soil more
than 202 million pounds of nitrogen.
The chart tells how this nitrogen
must be returned to the soil by rails.
ing more alfalfa and other legumes
and pillow them under. Every man, wo-
man, and child in the state ought to
raise seven tons every year.
Directly beneath the alfalfa frames
are enlarged photographs of practi-
cal operation in alfalfa farming. One
shows a 4O-acre South Dakota field of
alfalfa in ows. Another, shows a
deep-tillage machine blowing under
sweet clover, seven inches deep.
Another Of the large placards is
headed, Robbery 1t again empha-
sizes the need of returning nitrogen to
the soil.
Some virgin soil of South Dakota
vas analysed. There were 6542
pounds of nitrogen in the surface soil.
In a similar field that had been farmed
principally in grain 1872 pounds of
nitrogen. There was a loss of 24.3 per
cent. These facts, and more. too, are
stated in print at the exhibit.
South Dakota knows It will never
do to continue this loss of nearly one
per cent of the nitrogen supply of her
soils every year. That is one reason
she raises not only alfalfa, but also
clover and Canada peas and sweet
clover, The state expects to raise
crops profitably and permanently.
"In the central portion of the ex-
hibit is a placard: To own a farm
that won't wear out
/. Grow legumes to maintain the
nitrogen supply.
2. Return stalks, straw, manure, to
the soil to maintain the supply OF
humus.
8. Keep the Soil sweet with ground
limestone.
4. Keep up the phosphorus supply
with rock phosphate.
The entire border of South Dakota
Is decorated with bundles of alfalfa
which enlivens 1t in a most pleasing
way"