The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1922-06-29
BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE
BY J. H. WORST, Commissioner

OIL 1InlHlSIdLlOu
Adversely occasionally imparts use
full lessons. Our mistakes are often
our best teachers. While the boil
weevil played havoc with the pros
perity of the cotton planters Of the
engage in diversified farming, thing
their soil as we'll as their pocketbooks
needed. Instead of depending upon a
single crop that was exhausting the
soil and, on account of diminishing
yields, impoverishing the planters,
cotton farmers were forced by this
destructive insect to grow less cotton
and more corn and other feed crops
and give attention to hogs, sheep and
cows. The switch from all cotton to
diversified crops did them good in
more ways than insuring larger and
more certain income. 1t forced south
ern planters to engage in real farm
ing. Some day they may erect a
monument for the boil weevil as the
Mormons did for the sea gull. The
accursed boil weevil doubtless proved
blessing in disguise.
Single Cropping Unscientific
1t is generally conceded that, in the
long run, single cropping impover-
ishes a country and it's inhabitants,
whether the land is devoted to the
growth of cotton, tobacco or wheat.
This fact has been established be-
yond question in different sections of
the country.
When farmers first settled in North
Dakota wheat was grown quite ex-
elusive of other grains. Also wheat
farming was conducted on a bonanza
scale. The Dalrymples and Grandins
set the pace. The fact that only a
few months of the year was required
to prepare the soil, seed the land and
harvest and market the crop, prom
Used large profits and much leisure to
wheat farmers whether operating on
bonanza or more modest scale. Only
work animals were needed Butter,
eggs and garden vegetables were i'm
ported or dispensed with. Manure
was tabooed. The straw was burned.
The soil was Systematically, though
perhaps unintentionally, exploited.
The warnings of science were unheed-
ed.
A Warning Sounded
Then came evils whose voice could
not be hushed. Weeds. More weeds.
Weeds of many species grew and
multiplied until they brazenly divided
space with the crop and consumed a
disproportionate share of the mois-
ture. The farmer might summer fall
low, but the weeds challenged him to
more than temporarily suppress their
Entertainments. ~,
But there were other and more in
sidious evils. Fungus enemies also
attacked the roots of the tender wheat
plants and impaired their vitality.
This interfered with the plants nour-
ishment to such an extent that a per-
feet crop could not be realized; that
fair crop could be produced only
during the most favorable seasons,
with crop failure occasionally in
prospect. And, like weeds, these fun
gous enemies are cumulative in the
soil. The longer wheat is grown con-
tinuously on given soil the greater
the menace from weeds and destruc-
tive fungi. Hence, between these two
enemies, to say nothing of others like
smut and rust that can to some ex-
tent be combatted, the wheat farmer
is forced to change his system of farm
management or 60 into bankruptcy.
But wheat should still be grown, tho
not continuously on the same SOIL
say every fourth or fifth year. This
will starve out the wheat fungi or
render them unocuous. The remedy
for the evils named is, therefore, ap-
parent. -
Diversified crops. Crop rotation.
Advantage of Crop Rotation
BY systematic crop rotation, giving
such cultivated crops as corn, pota-
toes and other root crops reasonable
proportion of the acreage that is
farmed, the weeds will be subdued
and the fungi rendered harmless. The
cultivation will also conserve moisture
and improve the soil.
Hence, like the boil weevil, weeds
and fungi may be considered bless
ing in disguise, for they command the
farmer to rotate crops in language
that may be disobeyed only at his
peril. For many are the wrecked adj
ventures at all-wheat farming which
illustrate the evil influence Of weeds
and root destroying fungi.
Moreover, the evil effects Of drought
more often results from larceny of
soil moisture by weeds than from
/ lack of precipitation.
Enthusiastically, therefore, the fu-
depends upon a system of farming
| eAAs~v AS4NAACo aAA-yCdA>IOul1O S1LISIlIlOl
producing something to sell every
week the same as in other states, in
stead Of q few months Of feverish ac-
tivity followed by months of idleness.
In other words diversified farming.
More Farmers Wanted
Thousands Of new settlers should
be encouraged to come here and oc-
cupy the ten or twelve million acres
of llnOccl1pied land and tho nvo,.a;xad
farms ready to be subdivided into
smaller farms. Farms should be re-
duced in size, and better market con-
ditions established. Also rural
banking system that will cater to
farmers needs as the present banking
system meets the requirements Of
merchants and other business inter-
ests.
In spite Of Debated price Of farm
products during 1920 North Dakota
produced new wealth estimated Mt