The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-01-14
Farmers to Grid for Another Year

North Dakota farm forces will meet today at the
Agricultural college, Fargo, to take inventory OF what's
on their minds as to the betterment and expansion OF
the states great industry, its agriculture. The annual
Farm and Home week opens then.
North Dakota agriculture is expanding year by year
as its efficiency increases and progress speeds up the
course of its development. It is improving and growing
in the face of difficulties and obstacles. The annual
Farm and Home week is intended to review the gains
made and exchange ideas as to minimizing the draw
backs the farmer encounters.
With diyersification as the settled policy of the states
agriculture, the gathering at the college necessarily Will
be Of a group character. That is the livestock breeders
the wheat growers, the sheep men. each will flock sep.
arately and the program will contain discussions bear
ing on their branch. AS to livestock in general, nearly all
farms now specialize in that either in the form OF dairy
or beef cattle, sheep and swine, so that the subject has
a general appeal to the gathering. The b%eekeepers' branch
will put on a big separate program to such a stage OF
Importance has the industry developed in North Dakota.
Two other phases Of the gathering stand out rather
conspicuously over others. that dealing with pure seed
and that of the farm home activities. The former IS
given emphasis by the campaign OF the Greater North
Dakota association to cut down or wipe out the heavy
losses suffered by the states grain growers by reason Of
smut and other parasitic ills of its grain. These lead to
tremendous dockage losses, in marketing wheat espe-
cially. The farm home activities appeal to the farm
women who attend the gathering. This has become such
an important feature of the week that it transcends
other phases OF the weeks activities.
This major interest in the women's side Of the week is
due to the annual practice of honoring five North Da-
kota farm wives as homemakers. That will be done this
year, as last. 1t is not exactly a coronation. as it takes
en- more the nature of a decoration. It is a stimulating
practice and it puts romance into the otherwise prosaic
existence a woman leads out on the farm. with home
and farm cares to burden her. The women who rise
superior to these impediments to give valuable service
to the community causes and to create homes where in
telligence. morality and ordered management prevail are
deserving of such recognition as the five selected for the
designation this year will receive.
North Dakota will go on for years solving its farm
problems, for as some are disposed of, other will arise
Agriculture is in a state somewhat of flux, with federal
efforts to set up orderly marketing for it and with drives
at home to produce larger crops and of purer quality.
Climatic conditions operate to render its results uneven,
at times erratic. These conditions will continue to call
for consideration until nature or man brings improve
ment, as possibly, f~orestation or water diversion might
produce. This year, for instance, according to the
Greater North Dakota association, farm production fell
off $4,000 900 compared with 1928, due to lower yield
of grain resulting from the unusual dry spell. the worst
in the history of the state according to the weather
bureau-aS also in some other states and In overseas
countries. There was an increase per acre in grains
entering into the program Of diversification and due to
rotation of crops. such as oats and barley. and livestock
returns were larger, but this may have been due to short
age Of feed compelling wider marketing.
The Farm and Home week conferences, therefore, will
have many interesting topics to review and discuss. Out
of these discussions and the contact Of the leaders of the
industry for several days should come q spirit Of renewed
enthusiasm and a determination that might be summed
up in the inspirational term emblazoned on the banner
which Longfellow's youth bore mid snow and ice,
.Excelsior!"