The Greeley tribune., 1907-01-31
DO NOT CLAIM THAT FARMING; WITHOUT
IRRIGATION IS SUCCESSFUL
Government Investigators Give Interesting Talks
Convention Held in Denver Last Week to
Prove the American Desert Myth.
Some Of the Remarks Made.

Critics of the ''dry farming" sys-
tenn were warmly criticised at the
dry farming congress in Denver last
Thursday. This action was not
wholly unexpected. nor yet VIII
undesirable. Senator McCreery,
who wasn't present, was scored for
some statements made in recent
speech before the State Commercial
association at Fort Collins, in which
he expressed it as his opinion that
dry farming never would succeed.
He was criticised by j. l.. Donahue,
president of the Dry Farming asso-
citation and of the Colonial Securities
and Trust company of Denver. Mr..
Donahue is probably selling more
dry land than any other man in the
state, so why shouldn't he criticise?
1t appears to have been letter
from Ellwood Mead, chief of the
United States bureau Of irrigation
and drainage Investigation, which
was read before the meeting that
started Mr.. Donahne on his speech.
In part Mr.. Mead's letter ran:
EIlwood Mead Says.
Relieving that Irrigation Is one
of the essential factors In making
the most of these lands, in making
them support the largest NUMBER OF
people, and giving to settlers the
greatest measure of home comfort, l
wish to explain the work which the
United States office of experiment
stations is now carrying on to show
how the limited water supplies,
found in the dry farming region, can
be utilized in irrigation, and the
methods by which these water sup
plies can be of more substantial
character. The dry farm area has
moved westward In this state, until
there is now no line which separates
the irrigated and the dry farm terri
tory. There is no neutral zone now
separating the arid and the semi
arid regions.
Granting that In years Of we'll dis
tributsd or abundant rainfall crops can
be grown on the western border OF the
semi arid region without Irrigation.
there will be years whom even with
the best methods Of tllIase the failure
OF tho dry farm will be almost com.
plete.
Furthermore, on the western border
of the semi arid region, irrigation is
as yet necessity for the growing of
many crops. Summer following and
thorough uillage will serve to grow
wheat and drouth resistant crops,
but it will not answer for trees, and
on much land it will not answer for
alfalfa. The dry farm provides no
method Of protecting the orchard or
perennial crops from the season
when dry winter is followed by
dry spring, during which the per-
centage of soil moisture falls below
the needs of plant life.
THE office Of experiment. stations
10 now studying two phases OF this
question: First, cost and methods
of providing water supply, ana
second, the tools and methods for the
distribution of the water and the
cultivation of the soil to secure It's
economical use. Bulletins giving
practical advice along these lines
vii be published from time to time
as experiments and Investigations
bring definite results.
1.-The foregoing fully emphasizes
the reason which led to the location
of demonstration farms throughout
the central district.
"In order to prosecute these
studies three farms have been estab-
lished throughout the central dis
trict, one at Newcastle, Wyo'. III
the northeastern corner Of that state;
one at Cheyenne, Wyo., in the south
eastern section, and one at Eads, IN
the eastern central portion OF COLO