The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1907-08-02
Dry Land Farming.

The Desert improvement company,
the second local company to undertake
to farm thousands Of acres of dry land
by means of labor saving machinery,
has received its equipment and will be-
gin blowing probably today. Thursday
32-horse power Russell traction en-
CINE, the last of the equipment, was I'M
loaded.
Flows and harrows were received some
time since and taken to the scene OF
operation, about seven miles from town,
awaiting the arrival of the engine. Mr..
King, an expert sent here for the pur-
pose, will start the machinery and in
struct its owners as to its care and
handling.
The Desert Improvement Company is
composed of twenty-four local people,
many of whom have lived in this section
for years, who have taken homesteads
in body aggregating $500 acres, and
will engage in in wheat growing on
Dakota scale. J. s. Morris is president,
Charles johnson. secretary, and j. L.
McKown, treasurer. Among the men,
bers of the company are J. S. Morris,
S. F. Morris, George W. Morris, Farley
M. Morris, Eliza Thomas, Sylvia Nc
Cleary, J. l.. McKowen, Dan W. Run
yon, Clint Pearson, James Walker, Mary
Cottrell, MILFORD Bennion, S. M. Nc.
Bride, Charles johnson, J. F, Gish and
Peter Neeley.
The company will Immediately begin
the driving of one or more wells on the
tract to supply water for the engine.
The engine will draw twenty disc
plows, cutting sixteen and a half feet.
In seeding time a seeder will be at
tached and blowing, narrowing and
seeding will be done at one operation.
Flowing will begin at once and it is
hoped to get about eight hundred acres
into grain this fall, and the entire tract
as soon as possible. Wheat will be most
ly grown. By operating as a company,
and purchasing labor,saving machinery
the expense of farming will be materi-
ally reduce d.
The company has fine body of land
unusually free from sagebrush, with a
rank growth of wild grass growing on
much of it.
The pioneers in dry farming on an ex-
tensive scale is another association
which began operations last fall and
have about 300 acres in grain. 1t is known
as the Dry Farm, not having officers but
working together as an association,
Half dozen families are living on land
there, about five miles from town, and it
is the intention to farm about 1900 acres.
This association has full equipment of
machinery, two wells and cement lined
reservoir The last of these wells has
just been completed, is 200 feet deep,and
has thirty feet of water with a strong
flow. Permanent pumps will be in
stalled this week, and the Desert I'm
provement company, whose tract is
near, will use water from this we'll I'M
til theirs is ready.
The grain on the Dry Farm that was
put in last fall is in excellent condition
and will return a good yield. The grain
that was sown this spring was not ex
pected to make more than hay, but it
also promises to yield quite we'll and
may be allowed to mature. Surround
ing American Falls is quarter of mil
lion acres adapted to dry farming, which
will within the next few years, at the
rate it is now going, all be homesteaded
and cultivated. By many it is consd-
cred to be the best dry farm land in the
arid west.-American Falls Press.