Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-02-03

Last year was u Of great p%recipiia'
ton. Al tho Denver station from
March / 10 May I II was four inches
more than normal. After May ! the
precipitation was slightly below nor
mai at this station. Nevertheless for
the whole time from March ! to Aug
ust | Il was far In excess over years
OF abnormal drought
To reckon with security upon doing
anything without irrigation IN this
state We must base our calculations
not upon the precipitation OF normal
or average years. but upon that OF
abnormally dry years. II the method
employed fails when the moisture IL
less than that OF 4 normal or average
year, success a be counted on In
only half the total number OF years,
and Il may be questioned II success
Of that kind Is worthy the name. We
must, therefore, base our calculations
on abnormally dry seasons, II we
would build rational and stable hopes
Of success In farming without irriga-
tion.
Last year having been unusually
wet during the growing season from
March l TO August I. It u not safe to
build hopes exclusively on what was
achieved then. In numerous places
crops were grown succes.s.lly WI
out Irrigation and without the Use Il
either the Campbell process or accll-
matixed seed. No special process OF
any kind was needed In the localities
In question. Were all our seasons
like that Of 1905. we should not De
compelled to call this aa ed region.
Crops would be grown successfully
every year without irrigation. In 1884
and 1885 we had similar reas0n for
rainfall. Thousands Of people settled
ON the plains In the eastern part OF
the state, believing that the rain.
belt" had moved westward. In a few
years thereafter many Of them had
moved away and some were asking
for het0 from Denver.
Let III start right. therefore. Let
as calculate from q sound basis. for
then there need be nc mistake and nc
aftermath Of disappointment. Start
Ing this way, It IL safe to say that by
careful. thorough. intelligent employ
ment OF the Campbell process sue
ceas may be achieved on the plains
In the eastern part Of this state II
more than half the years. 1t Nigh
fall In excessively dry years, but prob
ably the failures would be more mum
erous than those occurring from on,
cause or another in the recognized
farming states of the central west
But let no one make the mistake o
thinking that success can be achiev
ed by . slip-shod method Of employing
the Campbell process. Mr.. Campbell
will insist, and be right in doing sc
that his process or system Is not t
be measured or judged by result
when his Instructions are not follow
ed. TO call q method Ut tillage tn
Campbell system does not make It *
Success depends. then, upon tn
honest, thorough use OF the Campbell
system, and every man seeking to Ell
tablish q home on the plains far ava
from practicable irrigation should TAX
account Of this proposition. He shout
understand the Campbell system, IN
then he should be prepared to fOlid,
Mr.. CampDell's instructions. He VII
have no right to complain. n. refusfni
to do this. he fails to G Z profit
able harvest. Probably many people
willing to take chances, will ventur
to farm without irrigation, and with
out close adherence to the Campbell
process. Falling, they will deBonnc
the country. and also the Campbell
system. although neither the countr.
nor the method advocated by MI
Campbell will be at fault.