The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-11-10
Corn Is Key to Agricultural Prosperity of North Dakota

cleansing restorative power of such
crops as corn, sweet clover and al
falfa.
1.-THE first great agricultural AK
iom which has been established in
North Dakota energies from the re-
suits Of long time experiment and
that axiom is as follows: A natur-
ally fertile North Dakota soil can
not and will not maintain its crop
producing capacity under any sys-
tenn Of continuous cropping, even
though the highest yielding variety
known to the plant breeders art is
used each year, even though prompt
and early blowing is practiced each
year and even though the best pos
sible date Of seeding is practiced
each year.
"The second great axiom which
has emerged from our North Dakota
researches is that crop rotation alone
cannot permanently maintain the
producing capacity of the soil. The
rational use Of farm manure has
been found to increase crop yields.
IIVNCuiuk SIOp AUipVI t0uI
"Thc third great axiom which has
emerged from our studies on crop ro-
tation is that the Immediately pre-
eeding crop has larger influence
upon the yield of small grains than
any other factor.
"The fourth great principle which
seems fairly we'll established in this
state is that under average condi-
tons of production in the state we
are not making economical use Of
cur rainfall. This holds particularly
true for the western two-thirds of
the state.
Studies made by the office Of dry
land agriculture of the u. S. de-
partment of agriculture and by sew
cral branch experiment stations in
this state warrant this conclusion
that although the annual precipita-
tion in the western two-thirds of
the state is an important factor in
determining crop yields it is rarely
the controlling factor. :.
"The crop reducing factors which
are annually operating to bring our
average annual yields down to so
per cent of their possibilities are the
irregular distribution Of rainfall
during the growing season, high
winds, hot winds, hail storms,
plant diseases, insect pests, weeds
and poor husbandry.
"Of these, the first few which are
climatic factors, are inevitable but
do not do an equal amount Of dam
age to all crops. Greater diversity
will reduce the damage from season.
al hazards; pests can be eliminated
or controlled; poor husbandry is in
defensible, except as it is due to
lack of information.
Must Increase Forage Crop
1.-The fifth great axiom must be
based to large extent upon animal
husbandry. Marginal lands are here
and they will always be here. To
my mind the one great agricultural
area in the North American conti-
rent which evidently faces the pos
sibly most unhappy future is that
northern limit OF production in Can
ada where because Of climate ami
NAL production is likely to come
slowly and where because Of CHI
mate the range Of forage crops
which can be produced is limited.
THE gradual increase Of forage
cop production in North Dakota is
the only plan which will permanently
decrease. the hazards of production
upon the individual farm and it is
absolutely essential to the expansion
Of the livestock industry.
Corn is the greatest of all forage
crops. Corn can do more different
t lgs for North d kota than any
other single crop. We are wasting
about as much water as we arc us
ing. Weeds annually evaporate
through their leav large part Of
the water which should go to the
growing of crops. A conservative
estimate Ct the average annual loss
es due to weeds is equal to at least
one-third Of the annual rain fall"