The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-01-03

rigating purposes at this time, the
question of dry farming land so stu
| contiguous 10 the city, upon which it
! 6ted is attracting discussion at this
time. 1t is urged by those familiar
with the subject that every acre OF
this large area, now practically idle,
can be placed under cultivation, to a
limited extent, until such time as prl-
yate capital may be secured with
which OF construct additional reser-
voirs for the purpose Of storing snow
waters-now going to waste-and
which may ultimately be utilized for
lrrigating the land referred to.
During the year which has just
closed. dry farming has emerged from
the experimental stage in many parts
or Utah and taken It's place among
the established industries OF the
state. 1t is apparent that the i'm
proved method of farming land, where
irrigation is impossible. Is winning
its way into the confidence of the pro-
gressive farmers of Utah and is de-
serving of consideration on the part
of those directly or indirectly inter
eSted In the subject
1T is understood that Professor L.
\. Merrill OF the agricultural college
at Logan Is taking an active part In
this important work. and his deducs
tions will be of moro than passing iu-
tcrcst at this time. The professor has
charge of the government expert
mental statians throughout the state,
and. In addition to this, he has gone
into the various counties during tho
past year and given the farmers the
benefit of the advice and personal su-
pervision in opening their dry farm
tracts OF land, In addition TO this he
has been personally Identified with
enc OF the most successful dry farm
projects In the west and Is recog-
nized authority among those who are
engaged In the new system of farm
ing without the aid of an irrigation
ditch.
Discussing the subject at some
length, Professor Merrill urges that
all land cultivated under dry farming
methods should lie Idle every other
year; that after a crop has been
Ia!sed on a piece of land. the ground
lowed to rest for the next year. On
farm of 1000 acres. In which he was
interested. a crop of wheat was raised
which averaged eighteen bushels
the acre, and this year the land will
lie idle so far as crop raising Is con-
cerned, but the soil Will be carefully
cultivated. just the same as II a crop
was to be sown,
Five years ago, according to an ar,
ticle recently publisher on the subject,
Professor Merrill established a gov
eminent farm of forty acres near En-
terprise. in Washington county. On
ali sides was the most absolute des-
ert for mnay miles. There was no
way of getting drop of water upon
the land In question except by precip.
itation from the clouds, or hauling
In tanks for many miles from the near
est settleemnt No more unpromising
epot could be found anywhere in the
state for the establishment OF a farm,
except that the soil was good Even
in this respect the criticism was
made that the poorest soil In the neigh
borhood was selected for the expeI-
mont On this little farm crops OF
from twenty-five TO thirty-eight bush
els of excellent wheat have been
laised year after year for the past
FIVE years, and In this practical way
every possible doubt has been re-
moved as to the success of farming
without irrigation in that section of
Utah.
Surely il a record of this character
can be made for five consecutive years
in Washington county 1T can be du
plicated In districts tributary to this
city, where precipitation from the
clouds equals that in any part of Utah.
And If Professor Merrlll's expert
ments along these lines are reported
correctly, every acre of idle land con-
tiguous TO Ogden should be under cul-
tivation without further delay.
The expansion of the irrigation prob
lem will come later, when reservoir
construction has been accomplished
but, in the meantime, dry farming
methods may be applied successfully
OF every acre Of good soil now idle
and non-productive.