The Holly chieftain., 1908-10-30
MOST PROFITABLE METHODS
FOR HoMEsTEAoERs ON
sEMi-ARio LAND.
CROP VARIETY NEEDED
CONSIDERABLE CAPITAL Is RE-
ouIRED TO PROVIDE NEcEs-
sARY TEAMS AND TOOLS.

From Stratton. in Kit Carson coun-
ty. Colorado, comes the following Ques-
tion to the Colorado Agricultural Col
lege:
"The problem OF making homes on
the plains of eastern Colorado is con
fronting many settlers now. For the
past two years corn and small grain
have been total failures, in places,
and a partial failure all over this re-
gion. The great influx Of homestead
ers came two years ago. just as the
poor seasons began, being drawn to
the country by the good crops of some
six or seven preceding seasons. Now.
a large number OF them are leaving.
mo doubt some Of your faculty have
studied the conditions in this part of
the state and will be able to answer
the following questions:
"A man comes onto a homestead in
Kit Carson county with an ordinary
sized family and $1,000. Suppose he
has nothing but the raw quarter and
this money. How should he use the
money and what crops should he
raise? What should he do II he had
$4,000"
The foregoing inquiry is answered
by H. M. Cottrell as follows:
Most of the settlers on the dry lands
of eastern Colorado In the past two
years came with the idea Of growing
grain only Many boasted that they
did not even keep COW for milk
Exclusive grain growing in dry land
farming has been failure wherever
tried-in Kansas, Nebraska, Mime
sofa and the Dakotas-during the past
thirty years. The farmers who have
insisted ON following this system in
eastern Colorado have made the iney-
liable failure which was bound to come
from their disregard Of the experiences
Of tens Of thousands Of farmers who
had worked under similar conditions.
Dairying and poultry raising are the
profitable lines to follow in dry land
farming where capital is limited. Both
give quick and regular cash incomes.
The surest dry land crOps-milo maize,
Kaffir corn, sorghum, corn fodder,
millet and hays from wheat, barley
and oats--make profitable dairy feeds.
Last year Colorado shipped in from the
dry lands of Kansas and Nebraska
dairy products to the amount of $5,-
100000, and poultry and eggs to the
amount of $3,0OO.000. All of which
could and should have been produced
In eastern Colorado.
The writer spent twenty-five years
on dry land farms and he would not
attempt to settle on dry land farm
with capital of only $1,000. Many
men have finally been successful,
starting with even less capital, but
they had to go through hardships
which no man has right to ask these
days of his wife and children. would
put the money into teams and tools
and rent an irrigated farm until had
made another 81 900.
Dry land farming requires constant,
thorough tillage. A large per cent of
the dry land farmers fail through too
little horse power. The first invest
ment should be in at least three good.
heavy horses; five would be safer.
After the necessary horses, imple-
ments and harness are secured, to-
gether with seed and feed, dairy COWS
and laying hens should be purchased.
Last year on a 320-acre dry land
farm, Burke Potter received from
twenty-five dairy cows, $3.50.
range COW of the dairy type, properly
handled, will produce from $50 to $50
worth of cream in year. With the
forage crops listed above, raised un-
der thorough tillage. ten cows can be
kept on l6O acres in a dry year. This
Will give an annual cash income OF
from $500 to $500 from the cows alone.
The Colorado Agricultural College
has found that in widely different sec
tions of the state, skilled poultrymen
are making q net profit of 81 per hen
year above cost of feed. Four hun
dred hens can be kept on 160-acre
farm.
The dairy cows and the hens will
furnish comfortable income and en-
able the farmer to pay cash for all his
family purchases, no matter how dry
the year.
Then the dry land farmer should
seed as much land to wheat as he is
able to prepare thoroughly with in
tensive tillage, and when he raises a
crop. the money from it will be sur
plus cash not needed to pay debts nor