Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1926-07-29

ditions throughout the state, in fact
my personal knowledge covers only
most of Pine county. Frankly, there
should be little credence given to the
pessimistic talk about crop conditions
in Pine county. A little hay short
age isn't enough cause for any one to
weaken. 1t ought to spur men on to
their weak places. There
is always a way to overcome our diff
ficulties.- Emphasizing our shortcom-
ings isn't the way to add strength to
our weakness. To seek new methods
and new ways to conquer would show
progressive spirit.
1t seems to me that good many
farmers practice their profession on
the assumption that nature will yield
to it's utmost every season if they ap-
ply ordinary effort, and sometimes 1t
is very ordinary effort. That there
is abundant power in Pine county
soil to produce under prevailing con-
ditions is proven by what may be
seen on some of the farms at the
present time To blame the weather
for our inability to raise full crops
is not justifiable even under present
adverse dry conditions. Nature is
lavish with the energy it expends to
help humanity. It's way must be
understood however and our efforts
properly directed to get full yield.
Under favorable conditions human
skill does not seem so necessary nor
do the results of personal effort seem
so apparent; but when conditions are
unfavorable then wise thought and
practice largely determine results.
There is a market gardner near st.
Paul who has become so skilled in
onion raising, that he has produced
1000 bushels of merchantable onions
ON an acre of ground. He never admits
fair crop unless he raises 700 bush
els to the acre. He knows his bust
ness, and understands how to turn
difficulties into increased values. AS
an illustration: In order to grow
onions successfully, the ground should
be thoroughly pulverized and packed
before planting. Too much seed is al
most as bad as too little. The thin
ming and wedding must be done just
at the right time or there is falling
off in the yield. In fact nature must
be helped, not hindered, if the best
results are obtained.
One season, this gardener prepared
his ground properly and sewed his
onion seed. Before the tiny plants
came up a heavy rain packed the
ground over them. Added to this
succeeding days Of hot sunshine
baked the ground into solid mass
parallel. OF course, some plants
would develop but the situation would
produce only small yield and al
| Improbable one. Some would have
said that nothing could be done. Blu
our wise gardener saw way out
With 2x4 and plank he made roller
three and a half feet long and two fee
in diameter. Then with nails and ham
mer he reached into the inside of the
drum and drove nails projecting
through the outer surface. He now hal
a hand roller with teeth in it. Impro
vising a handle similar to that on {
lawn mower, he was able to pusf
this roller over the entire onioT
patch, opening way in the packed
earth for the plants to come through
He saved his crop.
Don't join the pessimists. Make 8
/ rNlIoY~ ruifh foofh IN
The herd at the Jean Duluth farm
including shippers and all cows thai
were MIXED, averaged during the
month Of April per cow, 1859 pounds
of fat; during May Its; and during
June 1.72.
Read what Superintendent Crosby
has to say about crop conditions al
Jean Duluth farm:
"It may interest you to know the
crop conditions as they are on the
Jean Duluth. I believe it is safe
to say that this years oats crop is
the best ever. 1t is also our firsi
successful year in wheat and barley
raising. This we believe is due most.
ly to our practise in soil conditioning
the last few years in adding humus
to the soil with sweet clover, alfalfa
and with mammoth clover where sol
has too much acid for other clovers
"Our clovers of medium red anG
alsike are very light this year. due
to lack of early rains, excepting
where lime has been applied. Our