The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-04-22

The following article on Dry Farm
ing il New Mexico is taken from
recent bulletin issued by the Agricul
tural Experiment Station, and writer
by Prof. j. j. Vernon. The Recort
has no doubt it will be read will
interest by farmers in the Pecos Val
ley:
The term DRY Farming is a mis-
homer since crops canno be grow
without water. The meaning of tn
term as popularity used is the practice
of farming with less han a norma
Campbell System" is much used be
cause Mr.. w. H. Campbell, who was
one of the first to study the question
was so emi1ently successful in demon
starting that by deep blowing, ade
quate cultivation and careful atten
ton to details, crops could be grown
with considerably less rain or snow
fall than had been in former years
thought possible. Scientific Farm
ing" has been proposed, but since al
farming should be based upon scien
tific practice, it will, probably, never
become generally used. The term
DRY Farming" is now we'll establish.
&c and quite well understood, and will
very likely pTeNdhl LOT SOuue lIle "
come. In the earlier operations OF
agriculture in this as well as other
countries the most fertile acreas were
the first to be brought under cult
walton. This was often determined
by the Vegetation already growing up
on the land in a wild state. Since it
is well known that the right amount
of water properly distributed through
out the growing season in a very large
measure determines the productive
ness of a soil, hence those areas o "
er which the rainfall was abundant
and we'll distributed were occupied
and cultivated first. AS the popula-
tic increased those areas less favor
ably situated and not so well water
ed were occupied. The seeking for
new areas has gone on until the lands
where the rainfall, which, heretofore.
has been considered too scanty for
the production of paying crops and
only fit for range purposes are now
being brought under cultivation. Co
incident with the bringing in of less
valuable areas, the work of the Agri-
cultural Experiment Stations and of
educated and thoughtful farmers have
wrought wonders in the amelioration
of farm practices. Inventive ingenuity
has supplied improved machinery with
WHICH OpoTdllOHS are Tt-IuGIeu pTdCll-
cal that were heretofore either inn
possible or impracticable. With the
new methods of handling soils and
with the advance in the knowledge
of methods, crops are now successful
ly grown on what are termed dry farm
ing areas.
With the same methods and machi1
cry these lands could nave bee cul-
tivated with the same degree of sue
cess many many years ago had there
been the necessity. However, it Il
be remembered that there is a limit
even at the present time to which We
can go, although the investigations of
the future years may disclose methods
whereby the present limits may be
far surpassed.
There are three general groups into
the agricultural lands of the
so far as dry farming is
concerned, may be placed; First, sec
tions where crops can be grown annu-
ally; second, areas where crops can
be grown only bi-e1nially; and third,
lands where the rain and snow fall is
insufficient for regular crop production
Such grouping will not hold good thru
out a long series of years o it may
aid no doubt will happen that during
a series of dry years, in sections
where crops have been grown annual
ly, crops can be produced only bien-
Attention should be called to the
fact that the rainfall of certain Sec
lions is due. partially at least, to the
nigh altitude, and here the seasons
are short, while other dry farming sec
tons owe their relatively large rain
fall to their proximity to the humid
regions.
Forms of Soil Moisture.
Soils may contain water in three
Free Water Free water occupies
larger spaces between the soil
particles. 1t may pass through the
soil or stand IN it, but when in motion
it's movements are always downward
and never upward, for the reason that
it is controlled by the force of gravity
Free water may and often e move
in a lateral direction, but at the
time it is also moving down.
Our wells are ~replenished with
free water and when sufficiently near
he surface OF the soil it may form a
valuable supply of water for crops.
Though field crops cannot make use
Of free water directly, they can indi-
since free water may and often
Toes form a supply for capillary wa
On9 muSl IOl get Int FdOd tAhNf
Tree water will take the place of rain
or irrigation.
Capillary Water.-Capillary water
s a rather mir film of moisture which
surrounds and is held close to the
soil particles by adhesion. In other
words, capillary water may be said to
that portion of free water upon
the force of adhesion of the soil
PARTICLES is greater than the force of
gravity. Capillary water may move
through the soil in any direction and
It's movements are always towards
-he SPOT where there is a less amount
moisture. If the soil is dryer below
han above. capillary movement will
be- downward: M 1t Is dryer above than
capillary movement will be up
ward: and II the soil is dryer at eth
Dr. side OF a certain spot, capillary
remedies the defect by NOV