The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-07-22
A MESSAGE TO OUR
FARMER FRIENDS

w AAAA ~ ~ 80
failures the past three years are due
to the operator.
I have been farming in Washing
ton the past fifteen years where the
annual precipitation the past thirty
years has been less than twelve inch
es. Our country went through the
period of adversely that Montana is
experiencing now, and success came
when the $3.50 summerfallow meth
cd was adopted and strictly observed.
And not until our bankers and mer-
chants lock their safes and throw a
way the keys and say to these sur
face farmers who have substituted
the disc and other tools for the plow,
1--WE will extend you credit only on
the condition that you adopt the So
so summerfallow method; do good
early blowing, use the tools best adj
apted to eradicate the weeds and CON
serve the moisture" may we expect
profitable returns from our dry lands
While / do not undertake to say
that the methods used in other sec
tons of the northwest can be trans
planted to Montana, neither do / con
tend that we can go on forever with
out rain, but I do say that in 1916
when Montana had something like 20
inches of rainfall, had every farmer
begun summerfallowing an equal &C
reage of his land and continued on
until the present time by doing early
blowing and thorough cultivation,
that Montana would have at least
had seed and feed for last season.
Our country is what we make it.
Will we master the situation or will
we walk out?
Over at Harlem, Blaine county,
Montana, a summerfallow club has
ben organized, several thousand ac-
res have been signed up by the farm
ers of that district agreeing to sum-
merfallow a certain acreage each
year, keep an acurate record OF when
work was done, what tools were used
and report to the committee when the
crop is harvested and the results.
This is certainly a great step in the
direction. Let US encourage
such movements and put forth our
hest t.folts to make it a statewide
movement.
1 herewith suggest the following
operations for summerfallowing and
if the work is done early and thor
oughly, will usually bring profitable
returns. Immediately after harvest
skim pillow or double disc with sharp
disc. This operation retains the
moisture required to mature weeds
which spring up rapidly after the
crop has been removed prevents the
forming of millions of seeds and
the ground in condition to con-
the winters moisture. AS soon
IS the surface dries sufficiently in
Early spring harrow with spike-tooth
harrow, next attach packer or section
# harrow to plow; plow deep and as
,arly as possible. In using the pack
r or harrow in this operation you
freak the porous effect of the sur
ace, which prevents evaporation,
nd encourage the weeds to start.
low comes the critical season-the
.ot summer months are approaching,
nd unless the best tools possible are
sed, the moisture that has been
observed during the winter and ear
Y spring will be lost through evapor-
ton. I recommend the tool best
for this use during the sea-
on, The Standard Rotary Rod Weed
This machine makes the changes
to complete a perfect sum
the revolving of this rod
the clods on the surface, which
revents blowing and drifting of
our soil, sits the finer particles be-
wv, closing air cells, which prevents
vaporation, and completely eradicat-
lg all weeds. II has been demonstra-
I'd in other dry countries where this
lachine was used exclusively that
ields were increased from 2 to 5
ushels per acre. Run this rod 3 or
inches deep the first operation and
halloween each succeeding operation.
fall seeding is to be done, harrow
seeding; seed shallow, and
ave surface rough as possible for
inter. If ground is carried over for
seeding, work it just before
inter with a shovel cultivator; re-
owe half the shanks and use four
Ich shovel, drive at right angles to
lie prevailing wind. This leaves
Dur ground ridged, which will aid
holding snow. / recomend for
lis the duck-foot cultivator. Cross
in early spring a week to ten
avc bpforo cooIinn 4ho, rooJ . ,,a1