The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-02-25

result OF experiments which have
been carefully made. that the average
irrigator uses far too much water, and
tthat under the present basis of water
distrfbution the irrigable areas can be
VASTLY. increased. II profitable crops
can be grown by dry farming methods
rising only the annual precipitation,
It is reasonable that adjacent lands,
where an artificial supply of water is
ming principles, a very small amount
of irrigation water will sufice to grow
the maximum crop.
"There Is no place which demon
strates the truth OF the above state
ment so plainly as on the irrigated
meadows. where In the past an ulti-
limited supply of water has bee avail
able and has been used. In order TO
present more concisely the statement
made, We will refer to some of the
principles or arid land agriculture,
and note their application to irriga-i
ton farming.
Deep Plowing-One of the founda-|
ton principles of arid land farming
is that the soil must be stirred to a
muct greater depth than is the GUS
tom in tho districts favored with an
abundant rainfall. 1t Is sufficient to
states that deep blowing is generally
advisable III that for the irrigation
list the preparing of a large volume of
soil for h use of growing crops by
means Of deep blowing is as important
and will result in Increasing the yield.
Fall Plowing-It is universally
conceded by all who have studied
carefully the systems of dry farming
that fall plowed land will produce lar
ger crops the succeeding year than
spring plowed land.
1.-THE Suhsurface Packer-with the
exception of soils which are very hea-
Wy and more or less devoid OF humus
there is a universal belief in the use
of he land roller. The dry farmers
sub-surface packer is nothing more
| or less than an improved and roller,
and there are few places in any kind
of agricultural practice where the sub
surface packer If sufficiently weighted
would not be an improvements upon
the old fashioned roller.
"The Press Dril1-Al1 of the points
in favor of this implement for seeding
on dry and apply with equal force to
the irrigationist.
1.-The Surface Mulch-Whi1e all the
other principles enumerated AVE an
important bearing on the practices
which will insure success to the arid
land farmer the great principle on
which the entire matter is based is
that of preventing the escape of mois-
ture through the agency of a layer of
loose soil maintained at the surface
of the ground on all cultivated crops
as well as cereal grains wherever the
plan may be exercised.
"It is one of the more progressive
ideas in dry land farming that cereal
crops, suc as wheat, oats, and al
ley, should be cultivated even after
1 tho o~o. hos offa5poI 1-oJ y
height. This cultivation tends to de-
stroy weeds and serves it's primary
purpose of preventing the escape of
moisture.
Permanent Meadows The dry
land farmer has found that fields of
alfalfa, bronze grass and other peren-
NAL crops are greatly benefited thru
the practice of thorough cultivation,
such as discing or narrowing with
sword toothed harrows. The perma-
nent meadows of the i~rrigator can be
materially improved through the ex-
ercise OF cultivation methods.
1.-THE irrigationist has been prone
to look upon the dry farmer with de-
rision and pity. The fact that the ir-
rigation farmer has at his command
the one element, water, does not prove
that he has mastered all of the de-
mands of a growing r when he sup
plies this single element and depends
upon nature WITHOUT the exercise of
intelligence to supply what else is
needed. The providing of the best
physical condition for the growing
crop, the supplying of air and warmth
and sunlight. are matters which de
mand the attention of who
cultivates the land. The farmer in
the humid regions realizes this fact,
and exhausts every possible means of
maintaining his fertility through the
application in the best possible man
ner OF all the stable manures produc-
ed on the farm, by practicing the ro-
tation OF crops, whereby the legumes
may be grown and advantage taken
of their ability to assimilate atmos-
pheric nitrogen, and by practicing
systems of cultivation to insure the
greatest amount OF good from the sup
ply OF water at hand, provide a con-
stantly renewed supply of air, and
take advantage of all the forces of ma
ture to insure warmth and sunlight
for his crops. There can be nothing
in these principles which the irriga-
tion farmer has n reason to over
look, and they are the foundation prin-
ciples Of dry land farming"
Pest NINA