The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-10-03
$600,000 SET
ASIDE F0R:0UR
FARMERS AID
Secretary Houston Wires Selena
Office of Federal Seed
Grain Bureau
PLAN WORKING OUT WELL

"You may announce that aid will be
furnished to farmers for spring plant
ing of wheat within the limits of re-
manning available special funds Five
dollars per acre will be allowed with
maximum of one hundred acres," was
the message received Friday from Sec
retary Houston, of the United States
Department Of Agriculture, by the fed
eral seed. grain loan office at Great
Falls IS: .-. u
In the distribution of the fund set
aside by President Wilson to aid farm
ers in 'drouth.stricken areas, the fol.
lowing allotments were made: 81
Montana 81 ,JoO,OOO
North Dakota ............ 100000
Washington .I..>... 2Q0,OOO
Applications approved for fall seed
ing of wheat and rye, together with
those anticipated before the dates OF
closing, which is Ocober 5, for fall
whea and October Is for rye, are esti-
mated to require 100000 for Montana
and $4,000 for North Dakota. This
leaves large share, of the special
fund to assist the farmers in spring
planting.
One hundred acres will be the max
imum on which loan will be made to
any one farmer. II farmer has Sc
cured loan on 100 acres of fall wheat
pr fall rye. he will not be entitled to
a loan on an additional acreage which
will bring the total to 100 acres; for
instance, if he has received loan on
go acres of fall wheat, he can apply
for 40 acres of spring wheat, which, at
IS per acre would give him $500.
The spring loans will be made to
land owners and homesteaders who
have suffered a<loss of crops for two
years as result of drouth and win
ter killing and who, by reason OF such
failures, have exhausted their resour-
ces and are without commercial basis
of credit Loans will not be made to
renters or to others who can not give
unconditional lien on the crop.
In order that farmers may know
just what aid they will receive and SO
that plans can be made for addition
al assistance from the banks and other
institutions, applications for spring
aid will be received after November
l at the federal seed grain loan Of
flee In Great Falls. 1t will be neces-
sary to use different application
blanks from those used this fall. These
forms will be printed and distributed
to county agents and to banks. Farm
ers should use these new blanks when
making applications.
County agents. farm bureau organ
izations. banks and farm loan associa-
tions who will assist in the distribu-
ton of the seed grain loans are urged
to exercise great care in the approval
of applications of farmers so that the
needy and worthy farmers will secure
the aid For the reason that the
funds are limited. assistance will be
given only to those who cannot Sc
cure help from any other source.
A study of conditions in Montana
and North Dakota shows that the plan
of the government is satisfactory
one. Farmers have been able to Sc
cure seed readily and without much
delay or inconvenience. The county
commissioners, seedsmen banks, ele-
vators. and farmers who had a sur.
plus of seed have been willing to &C.
cept the certificates of apploval' and
allow farmers to proceed with the
planting of their crops. The same
plan should work inS a satisfactory
way next spring.
It will be desirable to hold good
homegrown wheat in each commun'
ity for the use of the farmers in the
spring. In some cases it will be ne
cessary to purchase seed wheat in
other counties and import it. Coun-
ties are urged to make arrangements
1T once for this seed and to store it
for spring use. This will save the
farmers large sums Of money. This
seed wheat should be purchased by
the county commissioners. elevators,
seedsmen, or other parties in a posi-
ton to handle this grain.
S. H. CHRISTIE.
Assistant to the Secretary.