Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-01-14
RANs-MissoURI DRY
FARMING CONGRESS-

| FARMING CONGRESS.
The first time in the history of
America, general movement has
been inaugurated looking toward the
rapid development and settlement of
The dry-land sections of the west. Act.
ing on this suggestion of many of Col
orado's business men. Governor Jesse
Missouri Dry Farming Congress" to
meet in Denver on the cath and 25th
| of this month. The call has been
sent TO every state west of the Mis-
souri, river and assurances have al
ready been received that delegates
will come, with state sanction, from
| practically all of the sixteen com.
| monwealths included in the call
The importance of this movement
cannot be overestimated Nine
acres of farm land out of every ten
in the whole country west of the 9s
meridian can never be irrigated, and,
because of slight rainfall, most OF
this great territory must look for its
redemption entirely TO some method
OF scientific agriculture. Within the
last decade the spread of The so
| called Campbell system more com
monty known as 'dry farming" has
convinced the thinking men of the
country that in some such method
as this lies the agricultural salvation
of the west, and 1t Is now proposed
ment, in which every state affected
shall take part, to further develop
these soil culture systems and bring
them to the attention of the world at
large.
| II is necessary also, so It is said by
those who are interested, that some
steps be taken to educate the farm.
ers who are today coming into the
| dry lands of the west In Colorado
| alone $4,000 new homeseekers have
settled themselves within year.
Twelve hundred homesteads in XII
Carson county. Colorado. were taken
up in 1906, and this record was al
most If not quite, equalled in other
western states. OF these great
bodies of settlers, the larger proper
| tion are from eastern states, and are
entirely unfamiliar with western con.
ditions.
The purpose of the congress which
will meet in Denver this month is.
first of all. to form permanent, ed
ucational, interstate organization
somewhat on the line of the National
Irrigation congress, and second, to
AFFORD full and free discussion OF
the principles of scientific soil cul
ture, and of their development in the
west Speakers will be present from
every state west OF the Missouri
river. The United States department
of agriculture will be represented. II
is hoped. by Secretary Wilson. Each
agricultural college in the west will
have its man in attendance. Mead Of
Washington, Olin OF Colorado. Camp
bell of Nebraska, Jardine of Utah,
and score of others OF the brightest
agricultural minds In the country are
on the program. and few things that
pertain to dry farming will remain
unsaid
In order to prevent the gathering
OF large and unwieldy voting body.
Gov Mcdonald limited the number
OF official delegates who may attend.
La Plata county, however, is entitled
to ten delegates, Copies of the Of
fetal call and an urgent Invitation to
appoint delegates at once, have been
sent to the county commissioners.
and 1t is expected that they will act
in the matter
In sDIte OF the voting limit. how
ever It is desired that every business
man and farmer In La Plata county
who is Interested in dry farming and
can get away from home should at
tend, regardless OF whether or not
he Is an Official delegate from the
, county. Convention headquarters
! have been opened at Room s, Albany
hotel, Denver, where all visitors to
the city will be made welcome and
full information given.
Royal Arcanum Installed officers
as follows last evening: Regent, A
e. Lund; vice regent. Frank Sheets
+ chaplain, Joseph Murphy; collector
: ]. II. Arnold; sitting post regent. w
IL Barber. Refreshments we're serv
: ed later in the evening and an enjoy
9 able time was had BY oil.