, 1906-05-07

from the pen of T. V. Cooke, the dry
farming expert, was printed in the last
number of the Ranchman's Reminder,
written for that publication at the re-
quest OF Prof. B. C. Buffum, the edi-
tor, and director of the agricultural
college experiment station:
Lack of Knowledge.
1t is astonishing how skeptical we
are about those things that we know
very little of. How few among those
whom you meet and talk with about
dry farming really believe crops can be
raised in this country without irriga-
ton; yet good results are obtained by
what are really very poor methods.
This shows that conditions are favor
able and proves that if crops can be
raised land they are) by indifferent
work, how much better ones can be
raised by good work. If We would but
study the why and wherefore a little
more, and this is not so hard to &c as
it appears, We would get results that
would make us do a whole lot more
thinking.
Muscle Sans Brain.
The fact is, there are too many who
use their muscle alone, when they
should use that splendid combination
known as muscle and brains" Brains,
spelled with a big 'B." | started to
say something about ~so-called dry
farming, and it seems to me the soon
er l get to the subject the better. 1t
is a fact that splendid crops of grain,
alfalfa, etc, are raised in high attitudes
with irrigation.
Many Acres Available.
This proves that these things will
grow and mature, but there are many
thousand, l ought to say million, of
acres which today are practically idle
(outside of %pasture), and to which arti-
fetal methods of application of moist
ure are impossible, that can and will
raise all varieties of grains and grasses
adapted to our elevations, if we go to
cd of getting good results from the
many acres is not very hard to under
stand. In fact its very simplicity is
somewhat of a drawback, because it is
so easy we are inclined to shrink and
not do our work thoroughly.
Soil Should Be Got Ready.
The great art of dry farming is to
SO prepare the soil that all moisture
that falls upon the ground is either
kept in store for the future crops or is
kept in the ground for those growing,
as they need it. To do this n must
do good work. That is, the ground
must be well plowed Il wish to empha-
size the fact that there is far too much
poor blowing done) say eight inches
or more in depth on old ground, or
ground heretofore broken. All ground
ought to be narrowed the same day it
is plowed. The object is to have the
soil in such condition that all precipi-
tation will Immediately go. down.
CIoGdy Ground Not Good.
If our soil is rough and cloddy what
rain or snow falls on these clods will
be lost because these will absorb mois-
ture, and just as oon as the wind
blows and sun shines, evaporation be-
gins, and then Goodbye, moisture"
But by having thoroughly narrowed our
ground the moisture sinks, n the
wind and sun have little effect. If we
continue our good work, We must al
ways keep what is called a surface
mulch on our ground to prevent evapo-
ration, to keep locked up in the soil that
necessity to all farming, viz, moisture.
The easiest way to do this is with a
steel drag harrow (three sections with
four horses will cultivate thirty acres a
day..
Virtue in Narrowing.
This narrowing must be done right
after, if possible, all heavy rains or
big snow storms as soon as the ground
is sufficiently dry. The object is to
prevent evaporation by what is known
as capillary attraction. If we do the
work properly we will have a good seed
bed and most, if not all, the moisture
that has fallen will be saved. We can
now figure on either putting in some
fall grain or leaving the ground until
spring. Nothing encourages anyone
more thar to be successful, and by be-
ing careful in doing what work we do
We are, as a rule, reasonably sure of
obtaining our object.
Good Seed is Essential.
One very important consideration in
dry farming, or in any kind of farming,
for that matter, is good seed. l would
strongly urge all farmers to pay more
attention to the quality of grain, etc,
used for seed purposes. The cheapest
seed, as a rule, is the dearest, and it is
a we'll known fact that first-class seed
has better terminating power, and will
good returns when poorer ones
TAIL. Like produces like.
About the Sowing.
Again, l would strongly urge you not
to use grain that has any smut in IL.
md as a %precaution use formaldebyde
your grain before sowing. Don't
SOW too much to the acre. Recollect
hat in sowing in the fall We make a
ong season, and that fail sown grain
Will stool. | would recommend about
IS to 40 pounds of wheat per acre fall
rye one bushel to the acre.
Conditions vary in different parts of
he state, and it would be as well for
'anchers TO study this and find out what
49,.