Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1909-12-10
Difficult Promblem that Must
be Solved in Some Parts of
Irrigated South Idaho
EXAMPLE OF EXPERIMENT FARM
Sand Hard to Manage First Year but
After Being Seeded Becomes Firm
and Yields Abundant Crops

That the settlers of the Minidoka pro-
i ject have had real difficulty to con-
tend with IN the matter of drifting soil
can readily be comprehended when the
experience of the government expert
mental farm is told.
This farm consists of about so acres
and is located on the east side of the
railroad track at Hepburn. 1t has been
under the immediate management of a
graduate of one of the state agricul-
tural colleges of the middle west, and
man high up in the public confidence
has exercised supervisory oversight
of it.
Some weeks ago the writer had oc-
casion to drive past this government
experimental farm and as the road
fanked two sides of it the opportunity
for seeing things was very favorable
The first thing observed was the alb
sence of crops worth mentioning. There
was some evidence of garden truck,
few potatoes, some sickly, scattering
corn and bit of hay.
But the most noticeable thing of all
was the evidence of drifting SOIL
Whole fields were swept bare and the
sand lay in piles and windrows along
the road.
Nowhere else on the Minidoka pro-
iect that the writer has visited has he
witnessed such evidence of soil drift as
was presented by this experimental
farm that was backed by the govern
ment and on which thousands of dollars
have been expended.
1t is doubtful if there is another farm
on the project that shows such utter
desolation from the producers stand
point as does this government farm
The settlers claim that sandy soil
should not be worked any more in the
spring than is possible to avoid and that
the surface should not be left smooth
C. C. Keck and many others advise
plowing in the fall, leaving the surface
somewhat rough. Then seed as early
in the spring as possible and stir the
ground as little as possible.
A farmer in Rupert told the writer
his plan for seeding alfalfa, inadver-
tently his name has been lost. In the
fall he plows and seeds to rye, using
drill as a matter of course. Then as
early in the spring as conditions will
permit, he drills in the alfalfa seed,
running the drill across the rye rows.
The rye holds the soil down and furn-.
ishes nurse crop for the tender alfal-
ia plants, and the entire field is later
cut for hay. 1t is doubtful if better
plan has so far been devised for solving
the problem of drifting soil.
After alfalfa plants have once taken
root they viii prevent all further soil
drift and the crops of hay or seed are
very valuable in themselves besides en-
riching the ground for other crops.
Even after field of alfalfa IS plowed
up, there might be sufficient sod to re-
sist successfully the action of wind.
The settlers of the Minidoka tract
now see that alfalfa is their main re-
lance and they are offering fifteen
cents pound for good seed. Many Of
them have already succeeded in getting
. good stand with eight or ten pounds
Of seed per acre. One farmer near
Rupert asserted that he got good
stand by using less than four pounds
Der acre by actual weight.
By the time the settlers have all OF
heir claims seeded to alfalfa or at least
he greater part of them have large
ields yielding bountiful crops of hay
md alfalfa seed, there will be no furth-
r trouble with drifting soil. And it is
o be hoped, too, that the government
Experimental farm will manage TO hold
own enough soil for some sort of crop
o roost on to cover up the barrenness
hat now reproaches them for removing
he native sage brush.