The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-05-25

grazing capacity of such lands be in
creased by intelligent management,
but that large areas of such dry, but
often extremely fertile, lands can ult-
mately be utilized for dry farming.
1t is believed that as the irrigable
lands become more and more COM
pletcly occupied, there will be AN in
creasing appreciation on the value
OF, and greater effort to utilize, the
dry, unirrigable lands adjoining set
Elements founded in the irrigated
regions. In the meantime the scient-
lists of this department are endeavor-
ing to secure plants that will grow IN
very dry soils, and at the same time
yield paying crops that can be alb
sorbed by our markets or prohtably
utilized on the farm
Two Classes of Experiments.
In carrying out the plans and pur-
poses Of the department the expert
ments have been divided into two
classes, though both are frequently
conducted at the same experiment
station. Under the direction OF M. A.
Carleton, United States cerealist, ex-
tensive experiments are being made
in many sections to determine the
kinds of plant life best suited to the
semi-arid regions. Maoaroni or du-
rum wheat, speltz, kaffir corn, sor-
ghum, alfalfa, oats, bronze grass, bar
ley-all these have come under ex-
haustive observation and have prov
ed themselves we'll adapted to cult
walton under conditions of light rain
fall.
The second branch OF experiment,
of which l have the honor to have
charge, concerns the questions of soil
culture and soil management and the
development OF farm methods which
will insure the greatest quantity and
best quality Of crop production in the
semi-arid areas. Thus far there have
been established experiment stations
ut the following points: Dickinson
and Edgciey. North Dakota; High
more and Belle Fourche, South Da-
kota: North Platte. Nebraska; Hays
and Gar.!en City, Kansas, and ANA
ri;ylo ard Chillichothe, Texas. We
hope also to have one III more in
Eastern Colorado in the near future.
| All of the stations named are operated
in connection with the agricultural
| colleges in the various states. The
plan is to establish uniform series
Of experiments in soil preparation and
| crop rotation at each of these sub
| stations and, in connection with the
general line of work, to take up spec
isl problems OF local nature inssuch
way as to make them comparable
with the results obtained from the
general experiments common to all
the substations.
| The areas included in these investi
cations consists of about 100000
square miles of territory, including
part Of North Dakota, South Dakota,
Nebraska. Colorado, Kansas, Texas
and Oklahoma, and is known as the
Great Plains area AS would naturally
be expected there is rather a wfde
range of soil and climatic conditions
III the extreme parts OF the area, but
owing in part 10 the greater altitude
of the southern as compared with the
northern part, and in part to other
meteorological influences, the spring
and summer climate of the whole is
surprisingly uniform.
The soil is also less diverse than
would be expected. 1t is doubtful
| whether there is another areaa of
| equal extent in the United States
where there are such extensive tracts
| of uniform soil. OF course, there are
many types represented, but as rule
they cover large and we'll defined
tracts. In the matter OF precipitation,
| both annual and seasonal, there is
also great general uniformity through
out the entire length of the area, the
annual precipitation being about
twenty inches in the eastern and
fifteen inches in the western part
Evaporation is undoubtedly much
greater in the southern than in the
northern part, although the available
data concerning it is very meagre, and
it is believed that much of it is mis-
leading. Scientific Farmer.