The silver star., 1898-01-06
CULTIVATION VS.. DROUGHT.
Successful Experiments With Deep AM
Frequent Flowing In kansns.

Succexsful Experiments With Deep and
Frequent Flowing in Kansas.
Perhaps the most interesting expert
ment that has ever been tried OH the
plains has been in operation this year
along the lines of the Burlington rail-
road and the results that are being
reached are watched by thousands all
over the West. Farming on the
plains in the past has been so irregu-
lar that there have been many crop
failures. Settlers have been seeking
for system that would give them n
certainty that they could harvest as
they sowed. The railroads have en-
deavored to solve the problem and
fortythree farms on the principal
lines of railway in Kansas and in
Nebraska have been managed for this
purpose. While the farms for the
most part have been on the Burling-
ton railway, other roads have expert
mented, and the Rock Island is pre-
pairing to extend the trial to the level
plains of southwest Kansas next sea-
son.
The superintendent of these farms
and the man who is held responsible
for their success or failure is III. W.
Campbell. Mr.. Campbell has proceed
ed on the theory that If the moisture
that falls on the plains can be pre-
served there will be no trouble TO
raise crops. and his manner of keep
ing the water is by frequent and
deep culture of the soil. The farms
that he has managed this year have
been located in sections where there
was little likelihood of raising crops
without an exceptional season. The re-
suits have shown that there is
chance for the new system and farm
ers who have taken journeys to see
the workings of the farms have been
satisfied that there is something for
them to learn. The matter is of i'm
mense interest TO all the West. Tor
there are thousands of acres in TINS
state and in Nebraska and Oklahoma
that will not be a success unless there
is better plan of farming than is that
now pursued.
Mr.. Campbell proceeds on the the
ory that the ground must be worked
all the time. He does not allow 1t to
lie idle for a minute. and there Is n de-
mand for the big teams and plows OF
the northwest in the first process.
The soil-culture method can be tried
by any intelligent farmer and many
will do ii on their own account next
year The implements required and
used on the forty-three farms this
year are the plow, the harrow, the
drill and the cultivator. The ground
is plowed very deep-sometimes eight
or ten inches. This is To stir up the
subsoil and give the old soil on the
top chance TO rest. After blowing.
the ground is packed either with
vi, for tho
purpose or with drills that answer
the same object. The soil-culture
method consists in n complete rear
rangement of the top seven inches OF
the earth. turning it as nearly bottom
side up as is possible. The plant food
in the soil at the end Of the season
very largely is found concentrated in
the top four inches of earth. and the
principle that is worked upon by the
new method is 10 get this down to the
bottom Of the furrow. where 1t will
receive the conservation of the force
that is in it aud feed the plant roots.
The rich soil thus will be just where
the plant roots are growing and they
will receive the full benefit of the sup
ply of strength.
Immediately after the plowing the
lower four inches must be packed as
closely as possible. SO that the moist
ure that is there can he kept for the
long summer days By increased at
traction for the moisture that does
come in the early spring. rains will be
gathered more in the bottom of the
furrow and the evaporation will be
felt less.
After the deep plowing and the sub
surface packing the next important
step is to keep the upper two inches
Of the soil loose and dry. This forms
a dust blanket" to cut off the moist
earth below from the effects of the
air. Water cannot pass through the
dry earth from below. Therefore the
dust blanket saves the moisture OF the
early rains for the whole use of the
plants. That II does all this is seen
from the effects OF the method. for on
the farms in the northern part of the
state where the system was tried this
season there has been n remarkable
crop. Farmers who think the crop is
ruined II the top Of the ground IL not
wet are surprised to see the plant
looking fine when there is n dry blan-
ket over the field. The packer follows
the plow and two or three cultIya-
tions are necessary In the fall. whether
II rains or not This Is so foreign to
all previous plans Of the farmers that
there Is n great disinclination to fol
low the directions until they have been
demonstrated by actual practice. Az
ter every rain there must be thor
ough narrowing, so that there can be
a return OF the dust blanket another
innovation that Is surprising TO farm.
ers who have followed old methods.
BY observing these directions the ex-
pertinent stations In South Dakota
have Obtained m Increase OF from &c
to 30 per cent. over the yield on the
farms around them.
A remarkable Illustration OF the
success Of the system IL seen at Fort
Sill. where the Klowns and Conan.
chcs have been raising about one crof
In seven years. When they were pui
to work by the order Of the superin
tendent Of the new station they did
much better. Not failure has re-
suited In the last four years that tn,
system has been used. Over In east
ern Colorado fruit raiscrs In some In
stances have been able to abandon ir