The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1908-12-23
LAND HUNGRY WARNED BY MA
TIoN's INQUIRY.
Federal Investigators Show "Dry
Farming" Critical Proposition

10 q tCat oChi III anu ht3
ton In progress just now concerning
the material resources of the country.
There have been several conventions
in Washington lately to discuss sub
sions appointed by the President are
engaged in investigations of condi-
lions. prospects and possibilities
Agents of the Interior Department
forestry service. the reclamation ser
vice, the agricultural experiment sta
lions of the government and the uni
versities of several states are seeking
the truth and looking into the future
to locate and define difficulties and
dangers, SO that the development and
prosperity Of our agricultural sections
may not be interrupted.
These Investigations have disclosed
some facts which should be made
known to the public. and will doubt
less appear In official form with Off
cial sanction very soon. For example
1t is thought necessary to warn land
hungry people who are taking up
homesteads and buying small farms
In the semi-arid regions of western
Kansas, eastern Colorado. Wyoming
Utah and other states that dry farm
ing" is a critical proposition. 1t is
also considered important that home
seekers should know that many mil
lion acres of our arid land can never
be. irrigated under any circumstances
because Of the lack of water.and that
the prevention OF waste of water is
one Of the most important duties OF
the American people.
One Of the ablest agricultural ex-
perts in this country. who has re-
Gently made an investigation OF the
conditions in the dry farming" sec
tons on the slopes Of the Rocky
Mountains. says:
Il have been a pretty thorough
student of what is known as dry
farming" and have urged farmers,
when moving into the semi-arid sec
ton, say west Of the ninety-ninth
meridian. to purchase nothing less
than a section or two sections, and
to combine stock growing with dry
farming. and not undertake 1t at all
except with enough cash capital to
carry them through a period of three
years. In Salt Lake City I made a
special inquiry OF the president of the
agricultural college, and others. who
inform me that dry farming has been
practiced there since 1865. and that
the average yield Of the land. which
10 put In wheat each alternate year,
is eight bushels or nine bushels a
year. and that the land will soon need
vegetable matter in order to maintain
Its fertility. At Cheyenne l was told
that the minimum OF land needed for
successful farming was 800 acres and
the minimum OF capital $4,000; that
while some men will succeed with
$1,000 or even $500. many would fail
even with $4,000. but that $4,000 is
required to be safe. The agricultural
experiment station sent out circulars
asking dry farmers as to the amount
Of land required to make a living.
and the average given was 500 acres.
over most Of the territory west of
the ninetyninth meridian there has
been 80 per cent of rainfall above the
normal for the last three years. The
soil is rich. most of 1t at least. Some
Of 1t is very easily titled; some of 1t
Is Of adobe formation, which is
hard soil to manage and should never
be plowed at all. The whole country
from the national boundary to and in
Guiding the Panhandle of Texas has
been exploited for the last four
years by companies more or less clos
ly affiliated with the railroads who
have purchased their land grants and
have proclaimed far and wide the doc
trine that rain follows the pillow, that
the East Is moving West, and they
are selling these lands pleading that
a homestead can be secured along
side at from Sc to $40 an acre. They
secure about a third payment down
which is about the original cost of
the land. and take mortgages running
at 8 per cent interest for the balance.
"H normal rainfall should return,
a calamity would strike this whole
area from the ninety-ninth meridian
to the one hundred and third meri-
dian. the whole length OF the country.
that would be greater than the
calamity that struck western Kansas
and Nebraska in the sos. In fact, /
believe that the whole agricultural
population. outside Of the irrigation
districts, would be driven back two
hundred miles. bankrupt and hopeless
The mortgages will be foreclosed on
these lands, and they will be con
verified into great ranches and the
grasses allowed to reseed themselves.
which they will do In the course of
probably ten, fifteen of twenty years.
believe that dry farming on these
soils other than the adobe and red
clay sections, could be made profitabl