The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-04
pnr FARMING our WEsr.
A System which, IL IL Claimed, Makes the
Farmer Independent OF Irrigation.
From the 50. Louis Grobe. Democrat.


From the 81, Louis Globe. Democrat.
ABILENE, Kan, June 24.-one of the most
important movements In the direction Of the
Improvement OF the farming conditions In the
West is going on along the northern limo Of this
State and in the southern part Of Nebraska. 1t
Is based on the Campbell system Of agriculture,
which includes no hint Of irrigation, yet which
the promoters arc sure will prove the salvation
Of the semi.arid region. Especially where the
supply Of artificial water is limited. it is be-
lievcd that there is far better work to be done
thnn by irrigation.
II. w. Campbell of Sioux City, Iowa, the
originator of tho system, Is personally looking
after tho promotion Of tho plans, and with his
son Is trying to overcome tho prejudiccs of tho
farmers who"think there is no way like the old
one. To convince them there have been started
twelve model farms along tho Burlington sys-
TEN, and are conducted for the purpose OF
demonstrating to the farmer that good crops
may be produced by the right kind of work
when without this scientific tillago they would
get nothing. Each of these farms Is under the
management Of an experienced farmer, who
works along tho lines laid down as II he were
the manager of n loom and working to n pat
tern. They are under contract to continue tho
plan for ut least three years consccutivcly.
ThisTis for tho purpose of having the farmers
see that there is Iothing mysterious or depend
Cib III III iIS IloNtoDs ~ 40 hob'io" 'h"o
tho second crop is better than the first, and the
third is best of all. The fact is being proved
this year in North Dakota, where there are
farms that have been worked along this line by
tho orders of the Northern Pacific for three
years, and the results are all that were claimed
for IL. There arc also two or three in Nebraska
that havo made the same kind Of reports. and
they have given the farmers OF their vicinities
an impetus toward better work in the caring
The largest OF the Kansas dozen Is at Bird
City. and 1t is very carefully, manaeed. 1t has
been SC, successful this year tina, there are many
who think that II the Kansas Legislature had
tion experiments to this development of the bet
section of the State. there would be more show
for It. The immigrants that came to the state
andsthen left might then all be there to swell
the census reports rs of old.
Although 1t seems incredible. tine promoter
Western scmi.arid region will be brought under
tho beneicent influences Of the now system,
Of the ID. Drought 5, |SSs Il T. is n sial% 4 III ,6n i, ,6s
gets less rain than tho lands Of Illinois and
Iowa Is q benefit rather than a hindrance, and
, the same crops or better raised here than are
found in tho rich bottom lands Of the country
. problem, and 1t is claimed that there can DO
produced better results than under that sys-
TEN when onco the farmers get Il full under
! standing of the plans and carry them out.
! The ir process &C. sc eo ,nn t. ibs is of q tn thorough r. %sb,b Pq IL
l t Herse'" or 70 FOUR anf ine eRp o' wi fhe .@ disk 'G 2arro 1spt then en-
! to plough the land to u depth OF eight inches,
T qoWss 'h Alter an this Se COMES aSe 'h the 0 9snrfac 81 p ans eur;
: u tool that resembles the rear portion, of a Ha-
: y ,n.da :. press sSs1o dri in., Except 1t, inat the fst wh Tsis t are
{ packs that low " sub-stratum firmly together,
:. leaving the su .face loose for three inches from
: the top. 1t places tho ground In model condi-
ton, but is a matter OF q good deal of work for
t the first two years, "a as tn there are many y d A.
$ This work is done Immediately after the
II den. 1t should be done in the fali II possible,
g for then the land is in better condition than al
n is better to do it as soon after the taking OFF
OF the previous crop as can be done; in order q
get the best results, In most. of these. mode
o farms the work has been done in the spring, for
$ the reason that the question Of estahlishing
d of the cold weather, and SD there was not time
g to accomplish all that was expected, In cast
q spring, to harrow tho top and loosen the sur
facs two inches deep to prevent evaporation
needed when the heat of the summer comes. ant
d even in the dry weather Yea her S Of the y, late spring
It but it is "a method that has not been used to tn,
rs benefit that could have been found If the farm
n that arc being applied to the model farms of tn
10 new system. 1t is too early TO seed, however
ID soil must be smoothed and got into fine condi
RS ton when there is time and at last AS the T sSa
IN son advances there will come the seeding. Ihii
m m mination and growth. The corn is planted witt
III @ aa tnct &C.. r0T she rows J" al arc s" drilled i' tWsnty : inche
apart. Only about ,onc-quarter, OF the see
y. usually ,sown is used, SO that there may be
Then, as the most remarkable change iron
&C. the usual manner. the crops are all handle
i'd alike and receive the same cultivation. Tn
Up wheat and oats are cultivated at least once
week, and to the depth OF two inches. This shal
d. low cultivation forms a soil mulch Of loose dir
CO and must be kept dry and loose through tn
growing. season. The cultivation and care q
the soil bed with the tlrlning OF the latter form
a gathering OF moisture around the roots of III
plants, and prevents the loss OF the same in DIR
No moisture throughout tho season, and the farm
er finds that there is at the end II good yielC
and better han TINT, i : good God 9 u ,t that At,
So successful has the system proved whei
IN tried that several railways generously haze Q
at Burlington lines in their Western extension
,ia The problem OF disposing OF me semi,arid lane
IS making TSoE tho are rD ali trying 5eeI 'n te give ,%,f the pe as
ke along their lands the benefit of all the know
M odge that is obtainable for the securing Of a be
III ter agriculture. The Rock Island is backiI
so tho creamery men. and is showing the farme
III how TO utilize the COW as an adjunct; and WI
~. sentiment in the prairie counties. The outloo
'as for this years crops Is so.good in-.lhe. sectto
OF tho country around. that there will DO Civ
ted a decided impetus TO the new plans. II I
he quircs, of course, more caro- than the farmer
~. the West has been giving 10 his crops. lie h
'f for the most part been trying to cultivate mo
rse than no could do Justice 10, and tho end II
n been that he has not rcnpcd the profit that
led expected. With the new model farms there II
md strict limit to tho amount that the farmer ls
lands that ho cultivatcs n steady crop raiSi
lis rather than to cndcavor to got rich from n SIM
rye speculation, and thus Is tho agriculture ma
inp better and moro certain, The farmers OF I
10 State are watching the experiments and II tn
led find that the promises are carried out, they W
"a - On iufn tho new system largely next season.