| Show FARM IN SEMIARID STATES Lack of Means and Machinery to Do Work Properly Often Results In Dismal Failure Dy V T COOKE Director of Dry Farm Kxixrlinetita Cheyenne Wyo Dry Farming is a name given to designate the difference between farmIng farm-Ing In the arid and semiarid states by natural precipitation and tho artificial arti-ficial application of water known as Irrigation Ir-rigation It Is a scientific system providing pro-viding methods of conserving molsturo to bo used when plants require tho same Tho system is not complexIs In fact simple to those who are willing to learn but tho rules laid down for tho guldlnco of those undertaking to raise crops when tho precipitation is not too plenty must bo followed tho work done properly and Intelligence used becauso no hard and fast rule can be made to apply to all conditions condi-tions Dry farming has been carried on in California for over forty years and other western states for a great many years It Is a long way from being anew a-new proposition In tho states west of the Ilockles One of tho most important impor-tant things In connection with it is to understand why we do certain kinds of vork why we lire taking big chances of getting a crop when wo scratch our soil thrqo or four Inchos deep call It plowing and then In a halfhearted half-hearted way run our harrows over our plowed ground possibly half as much as wo ought to havo done A groat many people havo never considered how soils will get packed through wild animals also domestic stock roaming over It for ages Tho natural result cannot fall to make such land all but impervious to molsturo Wo know that If wo open up soil fairly deep such soil will absorb rain and snow when it melts Wo know that by cultivation after heavy rains when our land Is sufficiently dry for us to take n team and harrow on t wo will mnkQ a surface mulch which should not bo too fine which will help us conserve or hold that moisture in tho soil When a man places 1000 In a bank and draws f 600 out ho knows that ho has 600 loft So It is with tho dry farmer If ho prepares his land as ho should ho can store up moisture and It ho crops it and his crop takes only part of the molsturo conserved ho still has some for tho next cropprovided ho takes I tho proper methods of holding such moisture In tho soil Too many new settlers do not havo enough means to work with lack of teams and tho necessary machinery handicap them so seriously that it is all but impossible Impos-sible for them to do their work as It should be doneresult is too often meager crops if not failure Farming Is n science and requires for success tho best a man has In him hit or miss propositions must from now on give way to improved methods Tho dry farmer muststudy his soils and conditions condi-tions He must learn to plow deeply thereby making his soil capable of receiving re-ceiving and holding molsturo and must cultivate nt tho right time Learn that weeds rob him by taking mols turo and fertility out of his land which bolong to his crop learn that the best seed ho can possibly got or ralso Is tho cheapest and safest to now that small quantities of seed to sow rather than excessive amounts is absolutely abso-lutely necessary to his success That a press wheel drill should bo used to row withsaving seed and putting I where It belongs into the soil at the proper depth One other matter I would suggest to thoso who are starting to farm new land In tho arid and semiarid states is an soon as they can afford it that most of thoso sells nro deficient In vegetable matter or what Is called humus and that I believe It will pay big to put somo In our soils now I thoroughly recommend rotation of cropj and wo ought to In oar rotation work sow a crop of cither fall rye or somo leguminous crop and plow them under recollecting that after plowing wo must thoroughly pack tho soil to aid In tho decomposition of what we have plowed under |
