Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1903-02-28
Fertility and Crops.

Review, the following article by
Pres. Bryan was published:
In your editorial of February s, under
the title Washington Leads Them All .
you say: "The average yield of wheat)
of this state for the first five years (ISo2-7)
was I7.5 bushels; for the latter half of the
decade (IS97-I9oI) the average was 24.6
bushels. Apparently our soil is growing
stronger under cultivation, yielding
heavier crops as the "Indian" is plowed
out of it; or is the increase due to an in
creasing rainfall, as many think, or to
better methods or cultivation"
With a considerable opportunity for
observation, permit me to say, that in
my judgment, the increase is not due to
the land growing stronger" or to any
permanent increase in rainfall" TAX
ing the "Indian" ont of the land is a
favorite method i'll every new country,
and it has had only one result from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, viz, gradual or
rapid exhaustion of the fertility. With
our wonderful, strong and enduring soil
the exhaustion of fertility has been pro-
crossing slowly, and one of the most
pressing problems to which the farmer
should address himselfis the retention Of
this splendid fertility.
While the past FIVE years have been
succession of ''good seasons" the evil
dence is not efficient to show any perma
nent climatic changes Apart from the
succession of favorable seasons, the great
increase in average yield has been due
chiefly to its increase on the lighter and
drier lands. And this has been due, in
part, as you suggest, ''to better methods
of cultivation" More careful blowing,
cultivating of summer fallow, treating
for smut, and seeding have undoubtedly
been employed. The sowing of fall grain
rather than spring grain, resulted in a
great advance. The use of the grains
particularly adapted to particular soils
and climate is one of the important fact
ors. For example, "bluestem" was found
to be we'll adapted to certain OF the lighter
soils.
One of the most important considera-
tons, however, and one which takes the
place of permanent change of climate,
is the fact that these lands when plowed
are capable of retaining the moisture to
better advantage than they were as beat
en- range land. The loose soil acts as a
sort of sponge, retaining all of the rain
fall and much of the snowfall, and gradu-
ally increasing the store which can be
drawn upon by growing plants.
An observation of this kind was made
by the college. In the early spring, when
the surface of the ground was sopping
wet, hole was dug in the native bunch
grass sod land and perfectly dry soil was
found at II inches depth. Nearby, in
land twice plowed, a hole was dug and
the dry soil found at a depth of ~ in
ches. In another field, cultivated for
four or five years the dry soil was not
found until depth of nearly four feet.
1t follows that the faith of the farmers
in our light lands is in a measure, we'll
founded. The soil stores and retains
more moisture. The exact season for
seeding is better known. The methods
to be employed are better and better
adapted to the. end in view. The varie-
ties are better known. None of these
will insure against possible bad seasons,
but they explain the difficulties of the
earlier period and form the basis of we'll
grounded faith in the future. The good
crops on the heavier soils are no new
thing. Every sound consideration, how
ever, prompts to the maintaining of the
| fertility and to the use of a mixed hus-
bandry. The present high price of wheat
will tempt many, who know better, to
return again to the old method of exten-
sive wheat culture, which, wisely, they
had concluded to lay aside. 1t is good
time to resist that temptation.