The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-07-31
DRY FARMING m idaho.

experiments written Dy Elias Mel
son, superintendent Of Idaho Aux
iliary Experiment station, will be o
interest to the people of this section
The annual precipitation in north
ern Idaho exceeds 25 inches which
Is sufficient for every year cropping
In southern Idaho, however, the pre-
cipitation rarely amounts to 20 In
ches and usually is less than Is in
ches. Here, alternate summer fal
lowing to store moisture in the sol
10 a necessity and farming withou
irrigation is strictly dry farming
In the foothills there is occasional
ly an underground supply of mois
ture to supplement the natural rain
fall.
The annual PRECIPITATION in Idaho
ranges from to 80 inches. In thu
Panhandle" 1t ranges from rs t
80 inches. Continuous grain grown
on summer fallowed land has beer
the general practice in that region
The rainfall, however, is sufficient
for every year cropping and the more
progressive farmers are now grow.
ing corn or potatoes on the summer
fallow Central Idaho has an aver
age of 20 inches. It Is very noun
famous country, yet there is consid-
cradle dry farming In the valleys and
on plateans. In the foothills in
southern Idaho the precipitation
ranges from 10 to 20 inches and dry
farming here is very successful. The
Snake river plains extend from east
to west across the state, as a rudely
crescent-shaped area, concave to the
north. Numerous valleys extend in
to the mountains from these plains
and 1t is chiefly in these valleys and
narrow strips Of plains bordering the
mountains that there is any consid-
cradle dry farming. The soil varies
greatly in the arid portion of Idaho.
The mountain valleys have rich
alluvial soil.
Here yields of 40 bushels wheat
and SO bushels of oats are not un-
common and In few instances a
yield of 2 tons of alfalfa has been
cut the first year. There are also
instances of good orchards produce
ing excellent fruit without irrigation.
but thorough cultivation is practiced.
The soil near the mountains is gem
orally slightly sandy, handles well
and makes an efficient dust mulch.
The conditions here are more favor
able than on the open plains, both
as regards texture of soil and abund-
ance OF moisture. Often the water
table Is sufficiently near to the sur
face to furnish moisture to the roots
OF crops. With this supply in adj
dition to the rainfall an abundance
OF moisture is assured. In Oneida
county dry farming has been prac-
ticed extensively for 20 years. This
country alone has 10000 acres un-
der cultivation and farming there is
quite profitable though the average
annual precipitation is but Is inches.
Tn the open plains of the western
part of the Snake river valley dry
sarming Is not so successful. Occa-
'ionally areas of deep soil suitable
or dry farming occur but those who
lave attempted operations here have
lot found results as good as in the
oothills.
The plains extending from Hager-
nan to American Falls have a clay
Dam OF wind blown origin, the de-
'osit having considerable depth and
N excellent soil. The rainfall In this
district Is from 8 to IL inches and |
he wheat crop under dry farming
ystems is from 7 to rs bushels per
ere. Near American Falls there
re several ranches Of several thous-
nd acres each, the land being plow-
q. seeded and narrowed in one OBJ
ration by steam outfits. Judging
y what has already been accom-
iished, a large portion of the Snake
lver plains will in time be under
In every locality where there is
considerable dry farming will be
ound few progressive men who
ursue good methods of handling the
I'll. In general, however, there is
reat room for improvement. The
lief fault is that no attention is
AID to the conservation of moisture.
ne summer fallow is left commonly
lie rough as the pillow leaves 1t.
GOD yields are often secured with
ude methods, which indicates that
18th proper cultivation dry farming 9
lould succeed under average condi- 1
ons. Where the rainfall is less than
inches, cropping should not be at |
mpted every year. For all crops !
.cept such as are permanent the :
nd should be summer fallowed. In
e dry farming sections of eastern 5
ashlngton the most successful
rmers pillow for summer fallow T
te In the spring. At that season S
g soil generally handles better
an at any other time of the year.
scing and narrowing early in the c
ar not only saves moisture but
lis weeds. Immediately after plow- Q
the soil is fined to make surface
Itch. Narrowing a few times dur
3 the summer keeps down weeds
d prevents loss of moisture by
aporation. In southeastern Idaho S
d in Utah the land is plowed dry in
fall and left rough through the
inter-. The following spring and
MINER cultivation is practiced to
nserve moisture and keep down
eds. Very satisfactory results are "
ing obtained in the Great Basin
fall blowing. The amount of I
ailable moisture in the soil very
gely determines the yield and W
'refore the success of dry farming
yield, however, is not necessar-
proportional to the amount Of an M