Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-05-07
Dry Farming
Promises much
tcontlassd fro.n psxs m

lands ii the soashsrn end of III.
ssSte % coudacf their experiments /.
dry farming. and they ~ere eazhies
10 raise certxin crops nneer m m
nnsl Preeipitaiion q tea and tsely.
inches. II sAs accessory 10 obtsin IN.
be~t results thoaxh 70 resort % sam-
meF fsllo~tng. leaying the Lana Iii
idls one Year 10 store mp xates
Tor the nexI In this ssy q good
crop sas rzlsed every other year cn
land that had long been considered
practically raiueless-
Pnof. j. / Vernon and Prof. J. p
Tfnsley. members of The faculty III
the New Mextoe A. q N. college. we're
the tso other speakers. Mi. Vernon
took Tor his subject Possibilities u
Dry Farming On Nes Mexico while
Mr.. Tinsley pointed out the -Advan,
ages Of the Las Vegas District for
Farming" Both OF these addresses
we're also very able and showed care.
full study Of the situation. j..
The Optic has secured both Of the
papers delivered by the professors
representing the territorial s1ricuitu-
raj college. Mr.. vernonis address is
published today and Mr.. TiusIeyts nd.
dress will appear tomorrow.
The only disappointing incident that
occurred during the convention was
the accident 10 the steam plow which
precinded the exhibition on the farm.
The Campbell Idea has gained man,
friends since the meeting and some
Of the citizens are growing quite en-
thusiastic over the projects.
Dry Farming Possibilities
Mr.. Vefnonis address was a. fol.
lows. %&~ v%@ &c.
Dry farming in New Mexico has
not been given q practical demon
strstion, Therefore. we must necesE
sarily base our estimates on the nos.
sibilities along this line upon the me.
teorologicai and Typographical obser-
vations that have been made In pre-
yious years.
From the viewpoint OF dry farming
the lands Of the territory may be al
vided Into three groups:
Frst-The lands upon which there
IL sufficient precipitation property
distributed for the growth of crops.
Second-The lands upon which
the precipitation Is large. yet not sui.
ficient to produce good crops with.
out an additional supply OF water from
some other source. i
Third-The lands upon which the
rainfall Is too late TO ~appreciably In.
fluence crp production.
We usually think OF dry farming
being practiced only where irriga.
tion rs impossible and the rainfall Id
sufficient for crop production. How.
ever. the methods employed for the
storage and conservation or moist.
IRE In the soil under dry farming |
systems may be applied with equal
benefit to lands partly or wholly sup
piled with water from some source
other than the rainfall; provided, OF
course. that the soil and subsoiI are
suited TO such methods Of culture.
Therefore dry farming may be prsc-
ticed where the natural precipita-
ton Is supplemented by pumping
from the underflow or by artesian
flow. |
From q study Of the conditions In
New Mexico, as shown In the United
States weather reports. We find that
the possible dry farming districts are
very much scattered. We might be
excused n the conclusion be drawn
that this condition IL due 70 the com
paratively small number Of and great
distance apart OF the weather obser.
vance stations. But when We consid.
or the topography Of the territory We
find only confirmation OF the weather
bureaus reports, through the long
distance between the stations no
doubt ac~centuates this fact. Either
establishment Of q greater number OF
observation stations Or practical
denomination Of dry farming In the
several localities viii be necessary
before the dry farming districts can
be very definitely outlined. How
ever, the lands Of the territory may
be roughly divided according to the
three groups mentioned before. The
northeast quarter Of the territory to-
gether with a narrow strip running
north and south somewhat west OF
the center on the southeast quarter.
and q comparatively small section
near the Center VI sfRkfewestern half
THE Mongolhm DISTRICT, fall into the
first group. or course there are many
small areas scattered here and there
elsewhere over the territory. There
can be little doubt, however. that on
a portion Of the lands within the Him
Its Of the sections outlined the pre-
cipitation Is too light for dry farm
Ing operations.
The lands falling under the second
group lie ID the southeast quarter OF
the territory, together with quite 4
large section In the central western
hall. Here. II dry farming n prac
ticed, II viii probably have to be car.
ried on In conjunction with pumping,
In order 70 supply water with which
To supplement the rainfall.