The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1908-08-13
DRY FARMING IN IDAHO.
Resume Of Idaho Experiment Station
Bulletin No. 90.

conditions thers nrevail Farmin
without IRRIGATION IN thosa nortiors
the state NAV therefore he termed dr.
i farming.
In Idaho drv farming ba, been o,it
.uceessful with 10 inches NJ animal nrt
cipitation. It is practieed In easter
Oregon even with bpt 70 10 incbe.
Tho average ANIMAL precipitation TO
,ontber, Td,bo 4. 1909 ;nohoo ~,
farming sbould be succes.fuI in Jdab,
on all soils that are 4 10 3 feet deer
and suitable in other respect, provideG
proper methods of cultivation are pur
sued.
Dry farming has been practiced me
cessfullv on varions soils ranging from
heavy clay to sandy. The dentb Of the
soil is Of more importance than the
kind The average soil in southern
Idaho is capable of absorbing 3 inches
of water for each foot of depth. OF
this amount 2 inches liz available water
and may be used by crops. The re
mainder Is not given nm by the soil To
absorb 10 inches of rain and hold il as
available moisture requires feet OF
soil While a deep soil is a great ad.
vantage, dry farming has been success
full on soils Of lesser depth than that.
The equivalent of an inch of rain stored
in the soil is capable of producing 2Ib
bushels of wheat per acre if il be
utilized.
with oood mothoa. :, .Lo,lI 80.
| -n,. f
'iOi' " conserve at least one mar OF
the precipitation to do duty in crop
production. In actual practice not
much mor. than ore. fourth l. ooror,u,,
.,.,
N'''"eui 'h' "foeiourths Delng lost by
SURFACE evaporation or by run-of.
The amount Of moisture that is abb |
sorbed bv the soil and ret,ired vorv
,, s... a., -,
's'y u''oi Hni"o' '"e yieiu' Deep
peroolation is therefore to be desired |
and surface cultivation to prevent I'M
p,csss,rv Iossas bv av,nor.tion .h,,Id
!,
w DeeP proving ia'ors the
storage OF water in the soil. Maintain
ing a dust mulch over the surface tends
TO souserva that which the soil no.
L-h. "a ;. i-,
AO'oiD su' 10 ihPoi'"n' 10 preserve
TINS dust blanket over fields by har-
rowing and especially on the summer
faIlow should this be done. That will
.
'n' 'Ui Oo'o" INC "'"'e" iioin
ufylng out Leaving the summer raj
low lie rough during summer allows the
soil to dry out. With such practices
there il large loss of moisture and no
particular gain in fertility for the elab-
Grafton Of plant food does not take ,
place In dry soil.
Summer following alternate years is
recommended for all localities with less
than Is inches of annual precipitation. j
Where there is more than that ii il gen !
srally possible to grow crop every 6
year. Growing a cultivated crop every '
'ther year 10 more profitable than a (,
Jingle crop system. For every year :
cropping the blowing should be in the
all. For the bare summer fallow the y
flowing may be either in tho spring or a
n the fall. The former has been most o
uccessful in the Columbia basin up
ands, the latter has proven the better b
ystem in Utah.
With fall blowing the soil settles dur
ng winter and good capillary connec
ion with subsoil is thus ensured.
nth spring blowing the lower part of
he furrow slice does not become firm
nough. Packing to close up the air
PAGES is therefore an advantage.
,ither the sub-surfaee packer or the
orrugated roller may be used for that
urpose. Packing in connection with
pring blowing is recommended for the
ghter soils in Idaho.
Rotation of crops in dry farming
lould be prscticed at least in the more
,vorable localities as the fertility of
,e land Is then maintained. While
'ntinuous wheat growing for several
scades in some districts has not ex-
austed the soil, there cannot be much
spendence upon the permanency Of
Ioh system.
Winter wheat generally yields 4 to 5
ishels more per acre than spring va
eties. The most promising winter
heat for southern Idaho are Turkey