The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-04-23

ply. Many vegetables grow to
proper stage for consumption In a few
weeks, and therefore, are surer thai
almost any other class of crops. If
markets are available they may be
made a source of considerable reve-
nue..
g.. Trees.-Both fruit and shade
trees are grown in districts where dry
farming is practiced. The home sur
roundings may be made more comfor-
table and greatly improved in appear
a1ce by the free use of shrubs and
trees. The same care, however, must
be exercised in the selection of the
kinds to plant n in their carr as is
used with field crops. The first WI
or three years until they become deep
ly rooted, is the most critical period
in the life of a tree or ornamental
chrub. Cultivation during that period
should be constant a1d thorough.
There are nc doubt many crops not
mentioned that have proved or will
prove their value for dry farming pur-
poses
Flowing.
Flowing is the most important fac
tor connected with dry farming opera
tio1s. If the blowing is not properly
done al adequate water reservoir
will not he formed in which to store
the rain or snow fall. Should this
feature of the work be neglected much
of the rain and melting snow will run
off from the surface of the ground
and be lost instead of sinking into the
soil, there to be stored.
Flowing. if possible, should be per
formed when the sol is fairly moist,
so that it will come up mellow and
car easily be leveled and fined. Disc
ing Immediately after the crop is re-
moved will aid materially in this re-
spect.
The character OF the soil and the
season of the year will largely deter
mine the depth to which it is best to
pillow. Usually the blowing should be
from 8 to IL or more inches deep if
done in the fall, obviously somewhat
shallower if done in the spring.
The srbsoil pillow may follow if af-
ter due trial upon small areas it prov
es beneficial pom hat particular soil
and subsoil and under the conditions
prevailing. The pillow should be fol
lowed by the su~b-surface packer, es-
pecially if the blowing has been very
deep. If a ~sub-surface packer is not
available the field should be run ov-
er with the disc set straight but well
weighted down. The subsurface pack
er should be followed by the acme har
row or tootned harrow. thus thoroly
pulverizing and fineing the surface so
as to form a good mulch and at the
same time provide against any surface
run of the water that subsequently,
falls.
The sub-surface packing and the for
nation of a surface mulch should be
performed each half day. If the soil
is left loose and a large surface ex-
posed to the air for only a few hours,
large quantities of moisture will be
evaporated, pass off into the atmos-
phere and be lost to the crop. Sue
cess often lies in the proper perfor-
nance at the right time of these seem
i1gly insignificant operations.
Cultivation.
The character of the cultivation
practiced in the Semi-arid belt should
be such as to put the soil in the best
possible condition for plant growth
and at the same time conserve the
possible amount of soil mois-
ture.
Experiments. often repeated, have
ture from a soil surface is a when
that surface is least exposed to II
air. It follows, therefore, that any
Irregularities in the surface increases
the surface exposure, which in turn
increases the evaporation of moisture
reason for laying so much stress
following the pillow Immediately
with the harrow is to prevent the loss
of moisture from the irregular sur
face. Level culture with a fine even
surface has proven the best method
for conserving moisture and for o
crops this condition is h most favor
able for roc development and expan-
sion. There may (be conditions of a
peculiar nature where this rule will
hold good though it is difficult to
think of such a condition.
Level culture should mean not on
ly a level surface exposure when Il
work is completed but it should also
made to mean the cutting or stir
ring of a slice or layer of the surface
practically the same depth at all
This is usually best accomp-
lished by using a long, fiat blade
is run so as to cut an even
depth and at the same time stir the
soil before it falls back in position.
Another means almost az effective is
the use of a large number of small
rshovels. Even small shovels leave
uncut ridge underneath, AID a
corrugatio1 on the surface.
ShOvelS are extremely harmfnl
since they leave the surface in great
and portions of the uncut under
surface exposed to the air.
Seeding and Planting.
ALI seeding and planting should be
done with a machine that will deposit
the seed in the moist soil at an ev-
depth and leave a loose surface
over it. The depth at which the seed
should be sown will vary with the size
and viability of the seed quite as II
sown under humid conditions, but in
dry farming the seed must be deposit
ed not a certain depth below the sur
face of the soil, but a certain depth
below the top of the moist soil. This
is an important point. Not infrequent
", deep planting will be required, but
there is little danger in planting deep
under dry farming conditions for the
reason that the young plants readily
push to the surface through the O
dry surface mulch. Should the seed