Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1905-10-24

brought to the surface passes off in
to the atmosphere. When the surface
SOIL Is stirred and the compact condi-
tlon broken up, the moisture cannot
move through and is accumulated a
lew inches below the surface. This
accounts for the increase in moisture
on the cultivated area in Kings ex-
pertinent. When the plowing is done
| IN the spring the cultivation ought to
follow imemidately for the same rea-
sons as in the case of breaking.
Cultivation should be continued
throughout the summer and at no time
should the summer fallow be allow
ed to become packed on the surface.
The year the field is being summer
falIoWed it gives no returns, and since
the only object in allowing it to re-
main without the crop it to accumu-
late to insure good crop returns the
following year, the cultivation should
be kept up so that this advantage will
be surely gained.
In addition to careful moisture con-
serving cultivation of the soil, care
must be exercised in selecting the
crops to be sown. Only those crops
that possess characters which fit them
to cope with conditions of scant mois-
ture supply ought to be planted if the
highest success is to be attained.
These crops must be vigorous grow
ers. able to make full use Of all mois-
ture that may be present They must
be deep rooted in order that food may
be drawn from a wide area. They
must be early maturing SO that their
growth will be gained before all the
moisture is used up. Lastly when grain
Is desired the seeding must be then
SO that all the moisture will not be
used in leaf and stem production.
Fall sown crops seem to give the
best returns on the dry land as what
ever growth there is in the fall is just
that much gain over spring sown
grains. Amongst these crops, fall rye
seems to be one of the best to plant,
1t it a rapid grower with vigorous
feeding powers. This crop ought to
be soWn the latter part of August or
the early part of September. 1t is fre-
quently cured as hay and when intend
ed for this purpose ought to be cut
as soon as it comes into head, in order
that it's palatability may be retained.
About SO pounds of seed per acre is
required. Fall wheat grows well on
dry land and ought to be sown about
the same time as fall rye. Thinner
seeding is advisable in the case Of this
crop, thirty pounds usually being suf-
ticient for an acre.
Amongst spring sown crops possi-
bly, the most profitable yielder is
spring rye. 1t gives a good grain
yield and also is valuable when cut
for hay. Like all spring crops it does
best when seeded as early as it is
possible to get IL seeded. Macaroni
or Durum Wheats seem to be admir-
ably fitted for the dry land. These
wheats were imported from Russia by
the U. S. department of agriculture,
where their environment developed
them into valuable dry land crops.
They are strong growers and though
the grain has not been regarded with
favor by millers in the past it is COM
ing more and more into common USE
1t is also in demand for the manufac-
ture OF macarOni and is an excellent
stock food. This crop should be seed
ed early at the rate of about As lbs.
per acre. Hulless barley does well as
dry land crop. 1t natures early and
gives good yield of excellent feed.
Flax is sown in some sections and
promises well in this connection. Ear
ly maturing oats give fair returns
when sown early. Emmer, sometimes
known as speltz, is a crop that has
been developed for the dry land and
merits a trial. 1t yields we'll and the
food is of good quality. Potatoes when
cultivated regularly yield an average
crop and the quality is especially good.
Under dry land conditions the on
ly difficulty connected with alfalfa
growing is in getting the crop start
ed. The summer fallow seed bed
should be in good condition and the
seed ought to be sown as early as pos
sible in the spring at the rate Of about
20 pounds to the acre. Fall seeding
has given good results and is recon-
mended by some. The young crop
will need cutting back a couple of
times the first year to allow the alfal-
ia to gain a foothold over the weeds
that may come up. The spring of the
second year the ground ought to be
thoroughly narrowed. This stirs the
surface, forming moisture-holding
mulch and admitting air. After the
first crop has been removed another
narrowing has good effect. Begin
ming the spring of the third year the
alfalfa field responds to thorough
uishliS do SOOu DIS Tie ground Is III,
and again after the first crop has been
removed. In addition to conserving
moisture and admitting air the disk
ing splits the buches of roots and
causes the outgrowth of more shoots
To the uninitiated it may appear that
the severe disking would have disas-
trous effect on the alfalfa. This is not
the case, however, and the good effects
from this treatment soon demonstrate
themselves. By always keeping a por-
tion of the farm in alfalfa the soil is
kept in good condition and good for
age is provided for feeding purposes.
In conclusion, the essentials to sue
cess in a system of dry land farming
may be summed up as follows:
Through an immediate cultivation of
the soil after breaking or spring plow-
ing.
Early cultivation on fall plowed land.
Summer following each alternate
year and cultivating frequently espec-
tally after a rain.
Early sowing of crops that have a