The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-30
PLAT CROPPED TO
WHEAT SO YEARS
HOLDS ATTENTION
OF SOIL EXPERTS
National Committee Stud
les Results Attained At
n. D. Station

A plat of wheat wheat land at the
North Dakota experiment station
that has been cropped to wheat con-
tinUously since 1852, and a plat OF
virgin prairie sod that Is being kept
as nature left it, were objects Of spe-
cial interest from the soil fertility
committee of the National Council OF
Defense that was in session in Fargo
Monday.
Prof. J. H. Shepperd, who has had
charge Of these plats since 1892, was
complimented for this interesting ex-
pertinent, which gives a test Of the
fertility Of the Red river valley soil,
under heavy and continuous crop
ping to wheat.
1t was explained to the committee
that this plat still bears a good crop
Of wheat, in good years, although the
one difficulty is in keeping the weeds
down.
I'VE have had to take unusual
measures to keep the land rid of foul
Seeds" said Dean Shepperd in ex-
planning the work on the plat to the
conferees. I'VE now plant the rows
Of wheat six inches apart and Guilt
waite between the rows to keep down
the weeds.
This experiment has proved, how
ever, that there is an adequate
amount Of fertility in this soil to
raise a good crop of wheat, even
after this long and continuous period
Of cropping.
The plat came into possession of
the college in 1892 and Dean Shep-
perd secured the record of the plat
for 10 years previously from the men
who had farmed it.
Pennsylvania Has One.
DR.. Schriener Of the United States
department Of agriculture, in dis
cussing the work on this plat, de-
clared that the only other plat like
it is at Pennsylvania experiment sta
ton and that their value to the en-
tire country is hard to estimate. He
also said that "old plat two" at the
North Dakota station belongs to the
whole country now and admonished
Professor Shepperd never to allow it
to be changed from the plan it is
following.
Yhe committee left this morning
for Brookings, S. D., where they will
spend a day comforting and in
specting work, from there they pro-
coed to Morris, Mimi, for a day.
thence" to Crookston, closing
their work at Fargo on Saturday.
1t is probable that their report will
be formulated at a later date.
DR.. A. F. Woods, formerly dean of
the Minnesota agricultural college,
now president Of Maryland Agricul-
tural college, chairman Of the com
mittee, was not able to attend and
at his request Professor J. H. Shep-
perd Of the agricultural college out
lined the program. The committee
consisted of Drs. Schriener and Mar
but Of the United States department
Of agriculture, DR.. Away Of the
Minnesota station, Professor Call of
the Kansas station, DR.. Watson Of
the Wisconsin station, Professor
Stevenson Of the Iowa station and
superintendent Stephens Of the
federal dry land station at Mandan.
The committee spent Monday in
conference at Fargo and inspecting
the rotation and fertility plats at
the experiment station with Profess
sors Shepperd, Doneghue and Ince.
They expressed themselves as being
very favorably impressed by the in
vestigatlon work being carried on.
which they declared will show vital
application and value when the state
grows older and the fertility de-
clines.
The object Of this series of confer
ences is to locate those sections of
the country which are in need of
fertilizers and other sections which
do not need them.
No Need of Fertilizer,
The committee found that North
Dakota and this section of the north
west is not in need Of fertilizers at
the present time. Experiments car
ried on at the experiment stations at
Fargo, Crookston, Mimi, Morris,
Mimi, and the various substations
in North Dakota show that the soil
Is so new that the application Of fer
tilizer is practically valueless,
There are other sections. of the
country that are in great need of
fertilizer. This is particularly true
Of Southwestern Kansas and adioin-
Ing districts in Missouri and okla
homa. %
Because Of the war there is q
shortage Of fertilizer, the raw ma
terial that was formerly used for
making fertilizer being now largely
diverted to the munition plants. As
a result there is need of exact knowI-
edge as to the needs Of the country
as a whole to form a practical basis
on which to figure fertilizer distribu-
ton.