Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-06-18
WHAT DRY FARMING Isl
nothing More Than Perfect Tillage
With Proper Implements to
Conserve Moisture.
n URTNG the past few years great
- interest has been taken in the

n URTNG the past few years great
interest has been taken in the
development Of dry farming In
the sesniEarfd West. The Campbell
system ls best known III this connec-
ton. and MI. Campbell. who has taken
Great interest In the work, has Infused
ons or two Western railroads to carry
aiofls experiments along tneir lines.
Two years ago this Government,
through the state Experiment Stations
OF Montana, Wyoming and some other
Western states has also made inyestii
cations and conducted some interest,"
ing experiments.
The rainfall in the semi-arid regions
during the past three years, has been
above normal and tho government has
therefore not tested dry farming under
abnormal conditions and the results
are yet very much In doubt.
Land in the serni-arid regions Is
abundant and cheap and settlers are
tempted to try their fortunes upon
them. Water Is the one element that
Is needed to make these lands very
productive.
The rains In these regions como In
the form of sudden and heavy showers
and the problem Is to conserve this
moisture and prevent II from running
of the surface.
Prof. George Fl. Fatlyer. Of the Gov
eminent Department Of Soils, says that
to enable the water to run down
quickly into the lower soil, deep bed
Of porous soil must be prepared. It
should be a mellow close grained
mass without any tendency to become
solid or stick together. In order to
preserve this condition, constant and
careful cultivation must be Practical
! Mr.. Campbell's method Is to culti-
vate the soil Immediately after every
rain and in order to make this work
eHective, 1t should be carried ON day
and night until the growing crops are
all cultivated
In preparing the soil for the crops,
the pioWed ground is packed with an
Implement especially devised for the
purpose.
A good plan Is to disc the part
plowed during the forenoon before
going In at noon time and again to
disc that part plowed in the afternoon
before quitting work for the day.
Cultivation is then kept up almost
constantly until the growth OF the
crops Is assured.
Where wheat oats, or any crop that
is harvested In the summer. Is grown.
the ground should be stirred "a soon
after the removal of ths crop as bog
sible. Any rains that come previous to
blowing Will be taken up BY the discad
land better than by the dry stubbie
ground.
On ground covered with crops her.
vested In the fail, double discinr NAV
be done before freezinR wsatbsr
comes. The principle is to keen the
ground In such condition that 1t will
absorb all rain that falls and then
MAINTAIN light mulch on top to pre-
vent It's evaporation.
IN planting corn in the seni-arid re-
glons the lister has been successfully
USED. This plew throws the soil ont
on either side. and the corn is drilled
IN the bottom of the furrow, either by
q drill attachment or by a separate
drill.
BY FREQUENT cultivation OF fallow
land as above described, moisture thai
Tails this year may be stored for nexi
years crops. In this way crops have
sometimes been grown once in two
years while the crops every year on
the same land have failed.
Plants that have been grown many
years in dry climates should be sc.
lected for dry farming and only abo,,,
one-half the seed should be sown tho,
Is used In humid regions.
FARMERS who contemplate moving Ia
the semi-arid regions should investi.
gate carefully the possibilities of The
particular region in which thew ex.
pect to settle. They should be pro.
vided with sufficient means to carr,
them at least one year without raisins
crop otherwise complete failure
would mean disaster.
Prof. Failyer says that it SHOULD h.
clearly understood that farming In thu
serni-arid regions without irrigat,on
cannot. in the nature Of things, be a,
certain nor as profitable as farnoins
In the humid regions.