The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1909-02-25
THE DISCUSSION
OF DRY FARMING
bEcRETARY BURNS CALLS ATTEN.
TON TO SOUTH DAKOTA EN-.
GINEER's REPORT.
MEETING AT CHEYENNE
FACTS SHOWN BY RECORDS OF
THE TRANs-MIssoURI DRY
FARMING CONGRESS.

Samuel H. Lea, state engineer of
South Dakota, devotes four pages OF
his latest biennial report to the sub.
ject OF dry farming. the resume in
GLIDING a condensed but succinctly
complete review of the work accom-
plished by the second Trans Missouri
Dry Farming Congress and an an
nouncement of the forthcoming third
Trans Missouri Dry Farming Congress
to be held at Cheyenne, February %.
"a and rs, at which South Dakota will
be represented by large delegation.
| according to reports received by Sec
rotary John T. Burns of the board OF
control OF the congress. Mr.. Lea will
deliver one of the principal addresses
at the congress.
Engineer LEAFS report says in part:
The subject of dry farming is one
Of much interest to the people of the
West, especially those who are ada
cent to regions where irrigation Is
practiced. In western South Dakota
there is large area which cannot be
supplied with irrigation water and
must, therefore, be utilized ultimately
for growing crops under existing condi-
tions. At present those lands are
used for grazing purposes, but the ad-
vent Of settlers is bringing an increase
in population which will ultimately
drive out the cattle and cause the &C.
clpat,on OF the land by farmers.
| "The area OF land that can be sup
piled with irrigation water is Of small
extent when compared with the i'm
mense area of unoccupied lands in the
state 1t is claimed by the advocates
of dry farming that the limit Of irriga-
ton is not the limit Of farm extension,
especially in a region where there is
| a favorable seasonable distribution OF
rainfall.
Dry farming does not mean farming
without rainfall. Where there is no
rainfall there can be no crops. but by
saving the precipitation that does fall
crops can be grown with remarkably
small rainfall.
There is no doubt that dry farming
in certain sections has become a dem
onstrated success. This is true of To-
calities in Colorado, Wyoming. Utah,
Montana and Idaho. where the prog
ress of agriculture has been noted
since 1898. There is no doubt that 9th
or areas will he discovered where dry
farms will he successful"
Mr. Lea however. saws Secretary
Rurps in spite of this official indorse-
ment of dry farming, still evinces
shirt of canton which is not shared by
drv farmers of nractical exDerience
,,bo have nroven Nv thair success that
,horo &c NO wore j.roor Of failure in
drv farming If conducted along the an
vowed and domonstr,ted lines than In
INV otber form of agriculture Mr. Lea
s.,,s contain amount of sunnlemental
;,r;,,tior 10 reouired tn oxtend the lin
a. - sottIoment 7, sunnort of this
10 daoI,ras that DRY, farming does not
ALWAYS nresent the attractive appear-
woo that an IRRIGATED tract does he
an,,so Tho homo is NOT surrounded nv
shaso ,,oas groom gr,ss and other ve,.
o,.t;o, roonirir, nleptifu, use of wa
90.
,,,,;,, q :. t,,. th,t III. formerIv
,..o, rra;,io thot h,s heen turned
-, h., N, sl,iu If tho drv
- ,aa,sad tbos, a.tbetic ,ttrac-
80. ~. ~ ,aoords of III. Tr,ns.
..ois' Co,n,;, oo,nross oop.
w. - io.tor. fror, dr,, formers
,"''' n'' - 80, -, thororch1,,
| ...,,, no. ;rs+,,oo IN tba arid
/ region north and northwest of FL Paso.