Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1916-01-12


mo, sir, not yet" laughed Joe. "The
reason want to plant the cowpeas is
that I saw in the book that the pea
vines are legume and gather nitro
gen from the air and store it away in
the soil in little warts or nodules on
the roots of the vine and that crop
OF peas on land is worth ton Of com.
mercial fertilizer for the next crop
year. Then there will be lot of fall
en- leaves from the pea vines to be plow-
ed under, and they will add some hui
mus to the SOIL"
II always heard that crop Of cow
peas helped land, but never knew ex-
actly why" said Mr.. Somerville.
Haven't you been studying your
book about agricultureY' asked Joe
severely. 1--WE been through mine
once and am half through it again.
And don't leave a page until I can
remember the sense Of it. !"
"Well, the truth is, Joe, I've been so
busy here at the store and our book
keeper has been sick"
~ reckon it is right hard for you to
find the time. Well, as was saying.
I'll get those pea vines of, knock down
the cornstalks into the low burrows,
then get a turning pillow and bed that
acre up on those stalks and pea vine
leaves and roots to form humus for
spring."
''Then you ought to give that land
a rest"
mo, sirreer' Joe shook his head.
Land doesn't need rest as long as you
put something back into it for what
your crops take out. I'll SOW that acre
down In White Milan turnips. They
are quick growers, and we can sell
every one of them here In town before
Christmas"
give crops in one year from one
acre-it hardly seems possible, Joe!'
1T is possible, for it has been done.
See herev' Joe hauled from his pocket
clipping from country newspaper
in another part Of the state telling Of
what progressive farmer there had
done. Il found that paper in the road,
and lay awake ever so long last night
thinking it over after read about that
man. and it works out all right
"That is certainly farming somev -
said the senior partner. And just to
think-most Of the people around here
are satisfied to get less than one
fourth of that amount of produce from
| their land!'
THAT sort of farming doesn't satisfy
me-" said Joe decisively.
''Or me, either, now know what can
be done. And, by the way. Joe. there's
| commercial fertilizer concern offer
| ing a prize of $500 to the boy in the
corn club contest in the state who
makes the largest crop with his fer
/ t1lizer. The state chemist certifies that
the product of that factory is up to
Standard
We've got to use some chemical fer
tilizer, and we might as well take a
chance on that prize, too," said Joe.
"All right; We'll go after everything.
! And there's nitrate of soda firm Of
fering another hundred the same way,
but don't know much about that
stuff. Do you?''
Yes. sir; nitrate is the quickest
way for plants to get nitrogen, and
that is the main element. Just scatter
the stuff on the ground about corn just
before it tassels and the books say
it will increase the crop nearly one
third. It's fine for cotton, too-push-
es it right along"
i've never seen any of the nitrate
or heard Of it being used about this
neck Of the woods said Mr.. Somer-
vile.
Neither have l. The book says it
comes mostly from Chile and it looks
like common, coarse, dirty salt and dis
solves quickly in water or by the mois-
ture of the ground. That is how the
roots get it so soon after it is applied.
When it strikes the roots that plant
just everlastingly hustles.''
If we go in for all these things and
win out, Joe, it's pretty big prize in
money alone on the corn. There's SIS
for the winner in this county, $500 for
the fertilizer and another 500 for the
nitrate $$275-but that is in competi-
ton with the entire state"
I'm going to do my level best, and
when a fellow does that he'd as soon
compete with the whole world as not"
That's the way to look at it. Then
there is the state certificate with the
trip to Washington"
L certainly want that trip said Joe.
Il want to talk to the head men Of the
department Of agriculture Of Washing
ton and see what they are doing.
want to go right to headquarters and
see for myself and learn something
What are you going to do with your
money If you win it?''
well, half Of it is yours you know"-
NO, indeed; half the crop money Is
mine. The prizes belong to you II YOU
win" M
Much obliged, but thought You
ought to have half Z. 4
mo; I'll be satisfied with the CROP
money" As,
That's mighty good Of you. Wen.
ST., the first thing I'm going to do Is to 8