The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-03-03
DR.. SUDDUTn
READS PAPFp
TAKES FOR SUBJECT "THE Ian
ABOVE THE DITCH"
AT FARMERS INSTITUTE
Give results Obtained by so-caIIed
Dry Land Farming-Advises Pros
pective Settlers and Explains Meth
DDS to Use for Best Results.

pective Settlers and Explains Meth
DDS to Use for Best Results.
Dr.. w. x. .Sudduth of Broadv1eW
read a paper on The Land Above the
Ditch, at the farmers institute yes
terday, that was not only instructive
but is considered one Of the best pa
pers given before the institute this
wear. During the meetings of the In
stitutej in the northwestern part of
the state, DR.. Sudduth was one of
the Speakers and when plans for old
ing the institute in this county were
made he was asked to give another
paper. His address follows:
In adopting the above title regard
ing modern methods Of farming. in the
semi-arid country that lies between
the Tooth meridian and the Rocky
mountains, / recognize two things:
First, that this is the region preemin-
ent for Irrigation wherever water may
be had and, second, that, while many
thousand acres of land susceptible of
irrigation will be opened by the
United States government during the
next few years there still remains that
larger and, to my mind, more profit
able body of land located above the
ditch and on which water for irriga-
ton can not be secured at, a cost that
will enable the land to be farrned with
profit.
Irrigation farming is intensive farm
ing in the highest degree and can
only be carried on on a small scale
with profit, while grain raising above
the ditch on the fine bench lands may
be engaged in o. an extensive scale
with great profit.
Fully Demonstrated.
This is no mere assertion, for one
has only to visit the grain fields Of
Eastern Oregon and Washington,
where this industry has been followed
for over a quarter of a century, to see
demonstrations, on all sides, Of the
Astounding prosperity Of the wheat
growing regions of that section. The
question is not, therefore, a mooted
one, for it has been freely demonstrate
ed that any section of country which
has an average annual rainfall Of
IL inches and upward can be profit
ably farmed provided climate condi-
tions are favorable and the altitude
is not to high. Six Thousand feet,
other things being favorable, Is not
too high for many Of the grains but a
mean altitude OF from 5000 to 1000
feet seems to give promise of the best
results In Montana.
No Conflict With Irrigation.
There is no need Of drawing invid-
ious comparisons between the Camp
bell system and irrigation. Each has
its place and the more one becomes
acquainted with modern methods Of
conserving moisture in so called "Dry
Farming and learns how essential
thorough cultivation Is to the best re-
suits, the more will he adopt it in all
his farming operations and the less
water he will use on his growing
crop wen Ter he has an abund-
ance. Not only this, but by adopting
the most improved methods OF tillage
the farmer may extend his acreage
under cultivation and make his water
go farther and at the same time i'm
prove the quality Of his grain. +
Quality VS.. Quantity.
Where the forage is the end sought,
irrigation adds very greatly to the
yield per acre, but where quality and
food values are the disideratum, the
less water the better the results OBJ
tanned. This is well known to all who
practice both methods and thus have
ample opportunity to observe results.
Too much moisture causes deterioa-
ton in the quality of the crops be 1t
forage or grain or roots. This is per
haps most markedly shown In pota-
toes. so-called "dry land potatoes"
having . distinct rating which in
some instances rises to so per cent
above irrigated potatoes. The old
saying that the proof of the pudding
Is in the eating holds good In pota-
toes. also. Any one who has eaten a
baked potato, raised on no~n-irrigated
lands in the semi-arid belt, recognizes
the finer flavor and quality Of the dry
land land potato over the irrigated
potato, even as the latter excells the
potato grown in the humid regions OF
the east. The same holds good as to
grains. Many things enter into the
equation and when considering the
question Of the factors that influence
the quality Of the final product, the
aid OF the chemist must be sought.
Prof. =. "A. LIE Clerc OF the Bureau OF
Chemistry. u. 8. A, has an exhaust.
I've article on t'The Effect Of Climatic
nond1firn ~, A. rn--.-.Aa44-F =.