Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-19
ARID FARMING EXPERIMENTS
IN SOUTHERN UTAH,


Cedar City, Iron Co., Dec. I2.-Oyer the
Inc In Washington county about 40 miles
IN a southWeBLerly direction from Cedar
city, says the non County Record is To-
6ated me Enterprise Experiment farm.
which, while not entirely a state iustitu-
lion, Is receiving assistance from the state
IN the line OF tools, seed and manage
ment Washington county bears al 9th.
err expense for the next two years, after
which II will be run by the state. The
Agricultural college representatives, when
they were looking Tor sites for the eX-
pertinent farms last spring are reported
10 have said that the place whore this
iarm Is located Is one OF the best, il not
the best, In the state. Last week Mr.. John
Day, who IS the gentleman that mas
charge OF the farm, was IN our city, and
IRON MIN representative OF the Record
got me Following particulars Of the en-
terprise. The farm like the one IN IRON
county, comprises 40 acres, and il cnClos-
ed 10y rabbit proof fence. During the
month of September the whole OF the ~
acres was plowed with disk plJw TO the
depth Of eight Inches, and although the
ground was dry the soil broke UP in nice
the crops were put in the ground was
Thoroughly pulYerized with ulsk harrow.
Planting began the middle VI September.
and continued until the first of November
About half the farm has been planted
10 wheat and rye two varieties u rye
and nine varieties of wheat having been
put into the ground by means Of seed
drill IN plats OF one-thid Of an acre each
Roads sufficiently wide for wagons TO
pass alternate with paths six feet wide
between the plats into which tho part Of
the farm under cultivation Is divided, In
order that the results can be accurately
ascertaincd great care has been taken IN
tne measurement Of the ground, a sur
yeyor having been employed Tor the pur-
pose, and each plat contains exactly one
third Of an acre. Great care has been
taken TO have the seed grain accurately
measured and a record kept Of the exact
amount of seed sown ON each plat The
plats have been soWn at intervals cover
ing the period named from the middle OF
September till the FIRST Of November. AT
the time when MI, Day was in Cedar the
whole Of the crops sOWn were up and
looking well, with the exception OF the
few plants which were planted last
which did not look quite so thrifty IL
IL the intention 20 plant the rest OF the
enclosure next spring TO corn and grass
es after having divided II INTO plats as
has been done with the part that Is now
under cultivation. Monthly reports are
made by the local manager 90 the Agri-
cultural college faculty or ia represent
tative, Of all mutters pertaining to the
business, on blanks furnished Tor that
purpose. IL is beautiful sight to see the
plates Of grain, much Of which Is four
inches high, with their straight rows
bounded alternately by roads as straight
as the surveyors art could make them,
and smooth straight paths. All the drill
ing Of the grain has been done by the
manager 30 that the greatest uniformity
could be preserved. The people Of the
surrounding country Will watch with deep
interest the progress Of these experiment
farms, which TO this arid region win
mean, II successful, at least double the
amount Of income from agriculture that
has heretofore been obtained. We have
plenty OF land but where is the water?
has bppu the cry IN this part of the COun-
try.