Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1908-06-14

u he fVtQWinS nom me pen OF II.
II Forbes, director of Agricultural
stations connected with the territorial
university, viii be particularly inter
esting to many OF our readers:
Success In dry farming in the semi
arid west, concerning which so much
is now being said and written, depends
upon several different factors. Among
the reaulrements are a sufficient and
timely rainfall, a suitable and water
retentive soil, metods of cultivation
which, so far as possible, shall aid the
soil to store up the rainfall and pre-
vent its evapofation, and quick-grow
ing or droEth-resisting crop plants
suitable to the region.
In eastern Washington and in por-
lions of Utah, Colorado, Wyoming,
western Kansas and Nebraska, and
New Mexico, where dry farming is to
some extent now successfully prac-
ticed, the rainfall is very largely in
the form of snow. which falling upon
properly prepared soil and melting
gradually in the spring, sinks entire
" into the ground and there be
comes available TO growing crops.
The soils of these regions, especi-
ally the volcanic ashes of eastern
Washington, are of an unusually
water-retentive character. Practically
the whole of the rainfall, amounting
from 10 to rs inches, sinks into these
soils with very little runoff or erosion.
With the aid of cultivation, therefore,
and what is known as sub-surface pack
ing which creates a denser and mora
waterretentiye layer some inches be
low the surface. and by the nlainten-
ance of loose surface layer which re-
stricts evaporation, this rainfall may,
to an unusual degree be retained and
utilized Within recent years, also
certain crops having small water re.
quiremnts, macaroni, wheat in par,
ticuiar, have been introduced in this
region
with reference to dry farming Ari
zona is divided into two very distinct
portions, the higher northeastern di-
agonal half of the territory and the
low-lying southwestern valleys. The
northwestern portion of the territory
has considerable resemblance TO the
dry farming sections of Colorado and
Utah and this form of agriculture win
undoubtedly be developed in this sec
ton in the near future. Indeed, oats,
barley and wheat have already been
very successfully grown on ordinary
rainfall.
s'But in the low-lying southwestern
valleys the conditions are in every way
.severer than in typical dry farming
country. The rainfall is less ana
more uncertain, the evaporation is
greater, the soil is not of the peculiar
understanding character most favor.
able to dry farming, and the richer
irrigated valleys as yet offer better
opportunities to the farmer.
Occasionally rainy seasons occur
as in 1905, when barley could have
been grown almost anywhere in south
ern Arizona without irrigation; but
these rainy seasons are even rareT
than in the San Joaquin valley, where
fortunes in wheat have been made by
a lucky guess on the season, and
then as likely as not, lost in at
tempts 10 repeat the performance.
Even under these less favorable
conditions. however. certain results
are possible, just as many centuries
ago was proven in equally arid north
ern Africa. The hilIy slopes near an
cient Carthage, for instance, were
covered with vines and olive trees
which were planted in the points of the
V-shaped embankments placed with
the open side of the V uphill to catch
and concentrate the scanty rainfall
u the soil at the point of the V in
which the tree was situated. Although
climatic conditions are essentially the
same now as then, the careful gardeners
of that day are no more, their err
hapl-u,anfs have parizhpd and fbail
country IS a barren desert.
Somewhat similar to the cultura
methods of these ancient gardeners !!
the practice followed BIZ the PapagOet
and Mexieans in southern Arizona anC
Sonora, who 10y means Of diagonal EN-
| bankments, catch the stormwater rH-