The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1922-12-08

bushels to the acre on the Oie Lei
dahl farm and 81 bushels to the acre
on the liver Lefdahl place. wheat OF
the same farms averaged only three
| bushels to the acre as a result of the
hail. A good many other farmers
exhibiting at the show told Similar
| stories of the hail-resisting nature o.
corn.
Many also were the experiences
told by the farmers of the powers
of drought resistance held by the
new crop in northern Montana. In
1919, when wheat was total fail
ure in northern Montana, Frank
Schempp of Freewater phillips
county, raised % bushels of corn
to the acre on a 30-acre field; Fred
| Primeau of Malta raised 26 bushels
to the acre, e. Kronsnable or Saco
raised % bushels and many other
farmers had similar success. w. +.
Stapleton. county agent of Phillips
county, says that the average yield of
corn in the county in 1919 was Is
bushels to the acre-this in the most
unfavorable year for crop production
that has ever been experienced in the
northern counties.
One of the real corn veterans of
Phillips county is Fred Primeau
whose farm is located not far from
Malta. In 1917, Mr. Primeau made
his first attempt with corn, putting
in 80 acres of Dakota White flint.
The crop did so we'll that he increased
his acreage to As in 1918, 80 acres
in 1920 and 1873 acres in 1921. For
the last three years he has marketed
a carload of hogs each fall, finding
good markets in Libby and Great
Falls. Last year The PrimeaU hogs
brought cent and half a pound
more than was being paid on the
st. Paul market the day they were
sold This year Primeau has 80
purebred Poland China brood sows
that will fallow in March. He has
1000 bushels of corn in his bins.
Northwestern Dent Popular
In Hill county such farmers as G.
L. Stewart of Havre, Fred Behrends
of Havre and John Fox of bingham
have been growing corn for a num-
Der of years and are having good
success with it as cattle feed. North
western dent is the most popular va
riety in Hill county. Gehu flint and
Dakota white flint have quite fol-
lowing.
Blaine county also is turning
to corn production. e. G.
Miller of Harlem, e. M. Parker of
Savoy, Gus Burchard of Chinook and
others have been raising corn since
1917 and have been having splendid
results from their seed selections.
Mr.. Miller is one of the real corn en-
thusiasts of the north country. He
has found corn to be dependable
crop on his farm and mighty valu-
able crop in eradicating weeds con-
serving moisture for the following |
,rop, checking soil blowing and fur
lishing feed for poultry, hogs and
,attle.
Prior to 1920, George Phillips of
Slentana (Valley county, was grain
armer. Horses were the only live
took he had on his place. In 1920
lie tried out field of Gehu corn. 1t
vas so successful that he has been
corn ever since. He plants
bout 20 acres and feeds it to his
milking Shorthorn cattle and his Du-
oc Jersey hogs. He has reduced his
wheat acreage one-half and finds that
lis yield is increasing from the wheat
.rown on corn land. He is building
Ip a diversified system of farming
nd has all the confidence in the
World in the north country now that
e knows it will produce corn.
George Lease of Bainville (Roose-
cit county, says that if he had had
he corn acreage in 1919 that he has
ow it would have saved him nearly
1000 in feed in that one year. w.
Burnison of Wolf Point was form
rly straight wheat farmer, but in
920 he started out with some Gehu
nd Northwestern dent corn. Now he
rows alfalfa and sweet clover to sup
lement the corn in feeding his Here
ord cattle and hogs, and he wouldn't
mink of going back to the straight I
rain business.
Pioneers in Important Movement
One of northern Montana's real
ioneers in corn growing is DR.. j. l..
tkinson of Poplar, who has been
t it for 16 years. He has developed
n early maturing, small cob yellow
ent corn from a selection of one OF
lie earlier varieties of yellow dent. {
his corn has proved very depend {
BILE and has matured seed without
break for Is years. l,
Then there is F. A. Kronschnabel
Saco, who was all but driven to
lie wall by the one-crop system. He s
led corn and his experience has
ade him booster for the crop. Last
ear 25 acres of Dakota white flint
600 bushels of ripe corn. t
In 1920, % acres netted him 900 s
lshels and during the three previous q
ears he produced an average of ~ i
lshels to the acre. t
These and countless similar exper- '
noes were heard during the three t
avs of the corn show at Malta. Far g
ers who took up the new crop few /
ears ago and stayed with it despite t
lie jokes and criticisms of those who b
i'd it couldn't be DONE" selecting e
Ieir seed carefully. and raising the r
lrieties best adapted to the northern t
are now looked upon as t
oneers in a great and immensely d
lportant undertaking. When wheat C
4. ! hAxr