The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1917-01-25
WHY NORTH DAKOTA
IS A GREAT STATE
NONE OFFERS BETTER CHANCE
TO MAN OF LIMITED MEANS.
CROPS ALWAYS PROFITABLE
Favorable by Those Who Know
Values Of the Farming Lands
Moving Upward.
BY J. n. Worst.

First impressions of a new country
are not always favorable. But few
of the old timers were even at first
favorably impressed, but after they be.
came acquainted with the peculiarities
of soil, climate and with each other,
with few exceptions they came to look
upon North Dakota not only with favor
but with pride. For no state offers
better opportunities for the man Of
limited means to become independent
and nowhere will labor and intelligent
planning insure better results.
1t is a common saying that every
country has it's advantages and disad.
vantages. North Dakota Is no excep'
ton. 1t is a matter of common OBJ.
servation, however, that the advan-
tages and disadvantages of countries
average with each other. What our
commonwealth lacks In winter bloom.
ing flowers and out door bathing facil.
tiles it more than makes up in it's pro-
ductive soil and pleasant summers with
their many hours of sunshine during
the growing season.
After third of century's residence
in the state and having been intimately
associated with the business of agri.
culture during this time, am convinc.
ed that North Dakota Is destined even.
tually to rank, productivity, with the
very best of the great agricultural
states of the Union.
This cannot be expected, however,
until the state outgrows its pioneer
conditions. For in comparatively
new country it requires time to per.
feet a general and somewhat uniform
system of farm management, many
farmers still persist in practicing the
single-crop fallacy; Of growing wheat
continuously on their farms.
Moreover, on account of farms aver.
aging larger than labor and capital
are available for their proper cultiva
ton, the best results are not always
secured.
Profits from Farming.
On the other hand wherever a ration.
al system Of crop rotation is practiced
and corn, alfalfa and other forage
crops also are grown, and where live
stock is kept on the farm the resulting
profits are more thar satisfactory
These profits will be materially in
creased when farmers engage more
largely in cooperative manufacturing
and marketing as they are preparing
to do in the immediate future.
1t has been conclusively demonstrat
ed that both corn and alfalfa can be
grown in the state with complete
success. According to government
crop reports the yield of corn fol
North Dakota for 1916 was 1856 900
bushels, while the acreage seeded t.
alfalfa is increasing from year tt
year. .. .....
Then livestock for dairy products a,
well as for beef are being introduced
in growing numbers, all of which dem
onstrates the waning of pioneer and
the ushering in of scientific methods
of farm management.
The Agricultural College with it,
Experiment Stations and Extension de
partments has contributed largely
toward improving farming methods.
No state has more up-to-date edu
cational system nor citizenship more
devoted to child welfare than those o.
our commonwealth. Few states if any
have as large permanent school funt
as North Dakota and perhaps no othel
state expends as large a sum of money
per capita for educational purposes
More than three hundred consolidated
schools indicate the interest taken ir
and the support that is given to thu
rural and village schools.
Advantages Of the Weather.
The most serious objections urged
against this state by the uninformet
are to it's cold winters and limited
rainfall To the initiated, however
these are considered favorable condi
lions. The precipitation occurs mainly
during the growing season and is am
pie, where moisture conservation i.
practiced by means of special tillage
to insure a crop with greater certain
ty than where the rainfall is excessive
Moreover, the special tillage required
to conserve moisture involves no more
labor than soil should receive in any
country where intensive cultivation IL
practiced.
The cold and somewhat protractet
winters CONCEAL the conserved mois
ture and hold it intact until the crop.
need it in the spring following.
While the winters do average cold
yet the dryness of the atmosphere
makes the cold even more tolerablt
than the chill that is experienced IL
the more humid atmosphere of lati
tudes where the thermometer range!
higher during the winter months.
There is no question but that tn,
extreme fertility Of the Northwestern
prairies is due to limited precipitation
and the fact that only negligible
amount Of evaporation occurs during
the winter months. For where rainfall
is superintendent large amount Of
available fertility is taken up in solu
ton and carried away in the run off, ;