The Greeley tribune., 1905-08-24
MOVEMENT TO TRY CAMP
BELL SYSTEM
Large Meeting OF Farmers in
Denver to Discuss Practice
of Dry Farming-As-
sociation Formed

ing. and ways and means by which
to bring arid eastern Colorado under
productive cultivation. An associa-
tion was organized with several
northern Colorado men on the board
of directors. These officers and
directors are:
President, j. L. Donehue; vice
president. S. b. McClurken: secre-
tary-treasurer. S. E. Wilmot. The
directors for the first year are a. j.
Henbest. Calhan: William Wolver-
ton. Ault: John B. Robinson, Chey
enne Wells: j. T. Munson, Ber.
thoud: William Boyd, Greeley:
George schiedemantel, Denver; c.
NJ. Immel, Limon: II. j. Snyder,
Denver.
In the constitution of the associa
tion its objects are stated as being
..the dissemination of knowledge of
scientific methods Of treating the
soil without irrigation in the regions
of Colorado east OF the Rocky noun
tains, in western Nebraska and Kan
sas and southern Wyoming, and the
encouragement of immigration to
the great plains" The membership
is limited to those interested in the
Campbell system. and land own
ers and farmers.
Among others present at the meet
ing was II. W. Campbell, father of
the Campbell system of dry farming.
He explained in part his system as
follows:
my system is simple, for it con-
sists in the conservation of the
moisture in the soil rather than the
putting of more water on the ground.
In the ideal condition of my method
of culture only one crop can be raised
on the same ground every second
year. l believe in cultivating part
Of every farm only once in two years.
AS much of crop can be raised in
this way as by farming the whole
acreage and reaping only one-half
the amount to the acre.
I'm the first place, my method
contemplates the elemination of the
crust of earth, that Is ever part Of
the woes of the farmer. Plow the
ground most thoroughly in the
spring, and with fine harrow keep
the crust from forming during the
summer when the rain falls. This
method of destroying the crust as it
comes should be continued all winter
long. In the spring plant your
. crop, and If the results are the same
rs we had at the Pomeroy farm near
Hill City, Kan. your work will be
we'll repaid. One-half Of a farm
may be utilized all the time. Let
half be in cultivation and half in
preparation all year.
Enough moisture falls on the
arid plairs of the western states to
supply wheat and other cereals.
The trouble is in allowing crust to
form. In the crust there are small
pores through which the sun by
capillary attraction evaporates the
water. When the crust is elimi-
mated the pores are closed and the
moisture stays in the ground. The
summer rains and the winter SHOWS
evaporate and are blown away be-
cause they cannot get to the lower
surfaces of the earth. Snow will
melt on broken ground, but 1t will
blow away when 1t falls on a hard,
crust.like surface.
The success of my system de-
pends on the air as we'll as on the
conserving OF tile water. The air
plays an important part in farming,
and to obtain good results the atmos-
phere must be taken into considera-
tion.
Il believe that there are too many
bitches in this state. Water is a
good thing and a most valuable ad.
junct to farming, but good things
are carried to the extreme some.
times. In several instances l have
with my method gotten bigger crops
than people nearby who used irrig9-
tion.
Every acre of land east of the
mountains is tillable. 1t will
make the greatest wheat belt in the
world when properly treated. The
moisture is there If taken care Of and
not allowed to disappear under the
suns rays"
After Mr.. Campbell had finished
his address he spent several hours
answering the questions that were
put to him by the association mem
bers. He explained in detail every
part of the workings of his system
and made local applications Of ft
use. He will devote some Of hi.
tinA to the furfkerfuf Of the move.