Williams news., 1920-07-16
Greater Diversity of Crops
 Needed

rain. By the time the News ii
 printed the weather may take
 a turn and bring the needed
 moisture. On the other hand, the dry weather may continue
 and the farmers may be yet nearer a crop failure. In either case the need of greater diver. sity of crops will be apparent, Even tho rain does fall within the course of the next day or two, crops will have suffered 9. great deal, and there is alway1 the chance that next year the summer rains may fail to come at all or may be too late to save the spring grain.
 The farmer who plants a part of his land to winter grain, a part to spring small grains, a part to corn for silage and a few acres to spuds, is making farming safe. He should. of course, have a flock of hens, a few hogs and several cows. The chickens will live largely on waste grain and destructive in- sects. The hogs will help to turn cull potatoes, pasture, sill age and grain to good profit. A few cows should supply the family with milk and butter, and the calves will help fill the larder or sell for good price.
 Just suppose that this year should prove to be the year of drouth which is sure to come sooner or later. The man with well tended winter wheat has a fair crop, at least. A good sample of what winter wheat is doing this year is shown in the field belonging to MT. Frank Fisher. ofthis place. This is planted on Mrs. V. A. Melick's land, in the northwest part of town. It stands about two feet high. The stand isgood and the heads are we'll filled. The grain is in the hard dough and as yet shows no signs of shrivel- ling. It will be ready to har. vest within a week. Rain can do it no good now, but without rain MT. Fisher is assured of q. good crop of wheat from this field. The probable yield has been estimated by different per sons who have seen it, at fror' twenty to forty bushels to the acre. The farmer with such 2. crop can look confidently ahead to next winters bills despite tho present discouraging outlook for spring grain.
 There is no denying that early plantings of spring grain have, in many cases, suffered enough that rains cannot now make a first class yield. The straw will be short and the yield will be cut. Later plant ings may do better, if it rains soon.
 Corn is not suffering like the smaller grains. While it may 1 be so delayed that frost will | catch it, yet good yield for silage is practically assured. The man with silo and a field | of cheap winter feed for his stock.
 The chickens and hogs and c&ttle,>in addition to furnishing winter employment will hold | down living expenses very ma terially.
 A number of farmers in this vicinity are already working this plan successfully. Others nave partially worked it out. Taken on the whole, however there is no greater need in thjI section than that of a greater diversificaion of crops along lines similar to those proposed above. To stake all on spring grain is a great deal of a gam ble. The farmer with a largo acreage of such grain may make it rich in one year-or in case of a failure he may go broke unless he is already con- ahead of the game Not many are. More diversi- fled farming will add to tho prosperity of the farmers and of the community in general.