The Bismarck tribune., 1937-09-07
FARMERS CAN STAY
IN WESTERN n. D.,
/ AYERS M'KINNON
But Must Follow Sound Soil
Practices, Conservation Head
Tells KiWanians

Tells Kiwanians
Scoffing at those who Recommend
evacuation Of western North Dakot'
by farmers, A. D. McKinnon, stat
co-ordinator OF the soil conservation
service. told members of the Bismarcl
Kiwanis club Tuesday noon tina
farmers can be kept on their land Il
their advantage, if they will but fol-
low sound soil conservation practice
In the first place. McKinnon said
where will our farmers 60? There
is no new frontier to be opened uE
and the United States is settled from
the gulf to the Canadian border ane
from ocean to ocean.
I'm the second place, farmers car
make good living in western North
Dakota If they will follow instructions
from the soil conservation service"
One OF the more important objec-
tives of this service, McKinnon said
is to convert farmers to the curve
contour" type of cultivation. For years
farmers have been plowing their land
in straight furrows east-West or
north-south without regard to hills.
Piows Around Hills
In curve contouring" the farmer
pioWs around hills, keeping his ploW
en- the same plane a: all times
Though many farmers believe at first
that this plan will increase their cul-
t;votion costs, McKinnon demon
strates with bent wire that 1t is
ell q matter of plane, in one case
vertical and the other horizontal, the
curves being in the furrow in both
plans. The advantage Of curve con-
touring" McKinnon points out. is
that 1t eliminates the irrigation ditch
to the lowlands, creates a series of
small dams on the sides of hills to
help keep water upland and elimi-
mates most Of the pull for the tractor
or horses in plowing and cultivation
generally.
Another plan for reducing wind
damage to top soil is to grow buffer
strips of grass, trees and corn every
several rods. In the case Of corn,
the ears are stripped but the stalks
are left standing through the winter
to protect moisture of melting snow
from spring winds.
McKinnon briefly described demon
stration project areas in Walsh and
Bottineau counties, in which all ex-
penses are paid by the conservation
service, but pointed out that farmers
outside OF projects wishing to follow
similar cultivation methods may re-
ceive assistance, though not financial,
through the service upon request.
The co-ordinator said that IS per
cent Of all. cultivated land In North
Dakota suffers from wind erosion and
declared 1t one Of the objectives Of
els service to have 30 per cent Of cul-
tivated land In western North Da-
kota returned to grass.
Cites Farmers Experience
He cited one instance In Bottineau
county where farmer each year has
been losing money in small grain and
making long profits on sheep. The
reason he did not expand his sheep
activities was because Of lack Of grass
Now he is retiring large portion Of
his land to grass for the exclusive
business Of raising sheep.
McKinnon Is proud Of the water
conservation work done by his or
ganization. A total of 40 dams
built by the soil conserva-
tion service In North Dakota
back up enough water to cover 1885,
000 acres foot deep. He also pointed
to the fact that soil conservation SER
vice dams insure the cities Of Fargo,
Valley City and LaMoure OF adequate
water supplies.
McKiunon was introduced by H. O.
Putnam. program chairman.
Wallace Stoelting, son Of Mr.. and
Ars. Benjamin Soliciting of Hazen
and pupil Of Guy Larson Of Bismarck,
played two clarinet solos. "Concertino''
by Weber and "Berceuse" by GODDARD.
He was accompanied by Clarion E..
Larson. member Of the Kiwanis club.
Guests at the luncheon included
Harold D. Shaft OF Grand Forks, Rob-
ert Huey Of Jamestown and Alert J..
Lund Of Bismarck.