East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-08-18
DRY LAND FARMING
COLORADO MAN RECON-
MENDS CAMPBELL SYSTEM,
Vigorous Cultivation of the Surface
Holds the Moisture and Brings
Crops on the Dricst Soil-Obicct of
the Continuous Cultivation is to
Prevent Evaporation.

why don't the farmers of the Boise
valley make trial of the Campbell
system of agriculture remarked NJ.
J. Neill of Greeley Col, just before
leaving Boise Monday night for the
fair city, says the Boise Statesman.
What is the Campbell system, Mr..
Nenl?" was the query in turn. IF
there is anything in advanced agri-
cultural methods that the farmers of
this valley have not yet learned, they
want to know about it and that with
out delay"
What is known as the Campbell
system is really the latest develop
ment in arid land farming. 1t is
new even to Colorado, where theeX-
periments that have evolved the sys
tenn have been in progress but for the
past three or four years; but enough
there has been accomplished as a re-
suit of the experiments to demon
strate the success of the scheme. In
word the system is intense surface
cultivation of the ground, no water
other than what the natural rainfall
affords, and in the case of some pro-
duets a crop every other year"
Mr.. Neil then told something of
what had been done with the system
in the arid fields of Eastern Colorado,
where the natural rainfall is but lit
tie if any heavier than in the Boise
valley, one year with another. 1t has
been found that constant cultivation
of the surface of the ground conserves
the moisture, and with a variety of
farm products, where the rain in
spring gave a fair start splendid
crops have been harvested, with no
late irrigation whatever.
The Greeley district is one of the
richest in all Colorado, and the water
supply there as in many another sec
ton of the west, is short in midsum-
mer. The farmers, truck-growers and
fruit men of that place have for years
been testing schemes for getting the
most out of the available water sup
ply, with the result that the Campbell
system has come to be recognized as
something to be depended upon.
There great orchards are to be
seen, yielding almost every year
bountiful harvests of all kinds of or
chard fruit, with no other water than
that furnished by the rainfall in the
spring, supplemented by surface cul-
tivation of the ground through the
summer months.
"If some of the Boise valley far
mers could take a trip through our
part of Colorado, and see how much
can be done with a very little water,
it would be an eye-opener for them.
There's about as much in water econ
omy as in water supply"
system" used in this connection is
/ something of a misnomer. 1t seems
| that the idea of surface cultivation OF
land as a means of getting the most
possible out of the available water
| came originally from some part of In
dia, the land of famine, where efforts
are being made by the government
for the extension of the system.
A thrifty Scot, with a barren farm
and little water at his command, be-
gan in a small way the experiment!
that have come to mean so much fol
the agriculture of the state. The re-
suit was that his name has come tC
be associated with the system. He die
not originate the system. but he ap
piled it. and honor for that is accord
ed him.
Stirring the surface breaks the ca
pillaries and interrupts the action o
capillary attraction by which th'
moisture is drawn 70 the surface to b'
dissipated by evaporation. Some o
our people are alive to its importance
In Fremont Woods orchard, for in
stance, team is kept busy at thi
kind OF work.