The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-08-03
RUSSIANS AMAZED
BY DAKOTAFARMS
AND BIG MACHINES
Visitors to Bismarck and Man.
dan From Moscow Betray An
tiquated Methods at Home

Five Russians left here today after
a day spent in getting their amazed
eyes opened to the complexities of
American mechanical agriculture.
They are from the Soviet agricultural
college at Moscow and it was under
stood that they were farming cx-
pertS. but when it came to combines
and headers and gang plows and the
ike. they showed such q lack Of
knowledge about farm machinery
that 1t was plain they we're not thir-
ty-sccond degree agriculturistS. They
went from here to Dickinson to make
further observation of farm methods.
Friday afternoon was spent at Nc
Kenzie by the visitors. A. r. Miesen,
county agent, taking them there to
observe the operation of combines on
some of the big farms in that COM
munity. 1t was their first view of
that type Of grain cutting, and the
Dig machines aStounded the visitors.
They knew nothing Of combines being
used In Russia. they said.
On the return trip they saw a head
er at work in a field. What is it,"
they inquired. Did the farmer make
it himsclf?"
In their country they said the old
walking ploW still is in use. Rus.
sla. according to what they revealed
IN tnelr visit. is even more strikingly
oenlnd the times than commonly sun
posed to be. It will be a great field
lor sale OF farm machinery II the
purported agricultural policy of the
soviet regime is genuine and not a
smoke screen thrown out to temnt
this country into diplomatic recoeni-
ton.
IN the party are A. Fress. inter-
prefer. and Professors v. N. Loubianko
N. A. B%urianenko. M. NJ. Wolf and 3
g. Vjansky. all of Moscow.
Inc visitors availed themselves Of
the Official courtesies of A. r. Miesen.
county agent. who took them to sew
+ farms around Bismarck, after
"nlch the party went to Mandan and
spent the forenoon in inspecting the
Northern Great Plains experiment
station.
AT the station they saw some wheat
stlll green and growing in experi-
mental plots and some wheat already
cut. a lot Of fine barley plots. oats
that will give a good yield. and Cor
mat has n~aarvelously weathered the
long Cry spell.
Director J. M. Stevens and J. G,
Diln.an. the flax expert, explained
station methods by which such fine
cops were grown uncer dry land con-
o.tlons. and. as Russia will have tc
csal With similar conditions in its
vsst new agricultural policy OF cult
vas,lg ia-.:S up to SOC. 900 acres in q
single tract, the visitors were keenly
interested IN what they saw and what
they were told.
They have been on the road for five
weeks. travelling by automobile. and
expect to travel through North Da-
kota. and will watch power machinery
n operation. being particularly in.
tercsted III late developments in that
field OF farming.
From this state the Russians will
go west to inspect other experiment
station plots. Montana will be the
rext state visited. Huntley offers on.
portunities to study American large.
scale agriculture of a diversified char.
acter, with its government-owned
Holstein dairy herds, its sugar bee,
and alfalfa culture, summer fallowina
and rotation, and the visitors ma,
stop off to see Dan Hanson, the sta.
ton director, whose fame as an agri-
cultural sharp has extended as far a.
where the Volga boatmen chant thu
lay Chaliapin has made famous.
The visitors did not know today
whether they would run ovcr to SCI
Tom Campbell's vast farming opera.
tons near Hardin, on the Grow res.
ervation in Montana. though method.
such as Campbell employs would bt
in the line Of research the party Il
undertaking.
The Russian group spent Thursda,
at the agricultural college at Fargo
A large part OF the day was spent il
company with DR.. H. L. Walster, dear
OF agriculture. visiting the plots at tn,
North Dakota experimental station
The party also visited the depart.
ment Of farm economies in charge o.
Rex E. Willard, the farm management,
department In charge of Cap E. Mil,
Ter, the agricultural engineering de-
partment in charge of r. G. Miller
and other departments.