Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-02
IN SEM|-AR|D FIELDS
Application of the Methods of
''Dry Farming"
PATIENCE AND HARD WORK
Land Titled Formerly Considered Fit
Only for Pasture.
ABUNDANCE OF INSTRUCTIONS
DR.. E. W. Hunt Spends All His Time
Telling How to Get
Best Results.
PATIENCE AND HARD WORN
ABUNDANCE OF INSTRUCTIONS
By WILLIAM e. CURTIS.

SpSCldl correspondence OF The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
LUSK, Wyo., July "a. 1909
DRY farming is term applied to the
thorough and scientific cultivation OF the
soil of the semi-arid regions between the
Missouri river and the Rocky mountains.
where the rainfall is less than eighteen
inches annually. The public lands where
there Is moisture enough for ordinary
farming, have practically all been taken
up. but there is still an enormous area
OF unoccupied public domain, which until
recent years was considered worthless ex-
cept for pasture. But patience, intelli-
gence and industry have been able TO pro-
duce from that dry soil crops Of grain
and vegetables In quantity, and many
think superior In quality to those pro-
duced either by ordinary methods Of cul-
tivation or by irrigation. Indeed 1t is
commended that all Of the products OF dry
farming particularly potatoes and grain.
have q higher value in nutriment because
they contain less moisture than those
grown either under an abundant rainfall
or irrigation.
Thousands and tens OF thousands OF
land hungry people. chiefly the overflow
Of the agricultural states of the central
west. are going out into the Dakotas.
Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and
other sections of the semi-arid belt. en-
tering homesteads or buying up lands
and establishing homes and taking their
chances for success in dry farming. Most
Of them succeed; many fail. The reasons
for success and for failure are equally
apparent. and men Of experience can ex-
plain the causes In every case.
The land laws OF the United States
were amended at the recent session of
Congress SO that homesteader can now
enter 800 acres OF dry land. instead of 16O
acres as before, because all authorities
agree that 1t Is difficult. IL not impossible.
for any farmer to make living upon
less. the fundamental principle of that
method which brings success being to
cultivate the soil thoroughly every year
and to crop 1t every other year-that is.
to allow the moisture Of two successive
years to become absorbed in the soil be-
fore the seed Is planted.
instruction In Dry Farming.
Doctors differ on every subject. There is
no point upon which everybody agrees.
There is q difference Of opinion even as
to the way OF salvation, and the author
tiles on agricultural science vary some
what In their recommendations, but there
is certainly no lack Of instruction. and
the dry farmer who fails cannot shift the
responsibility upon other shoulders than
his own. The educational work that is
now going on among the farmers Of the
United States Is SO complete and COM
prehensive that 1t would seem impossible
that any one should go wrong. The Agri-
cultural Department at Washington, un-
der that grand old Scotchman, James WILL
son, has done more to educate and improve
the conditions and the methods OF the
farmers of the United States than ali
other forces combined, and has not fail
ed to furnish instruction and admonition
upon every question that can possibly
arise in the experience of the American
of nfn Ia hon
OF agriculture to supplement the work
or the national government; there are or
gantzations-state, county and township
OF Farmers that concern themselves with
every branch OF the industry; there are
national organizations which hold con-
ventions annually and oftener. The dry
farmers held convention at Cheyenne
not long ago. and they hold another at
Der %, inclusive. This will not only be
an institute for dry farming instructors
and dry farming farmers. but the mana
gers promise to have the greatest dis
ever seen. Exhibits are already pledged
from thirteen states.
Farmers institutes everywhere In this
section are making a speciality of dry
farming: the Agricultural Department at
Washington has several experimental
stations in each arid state at which
great work is being carried on The
hundreds of agricultural papers publish
results which have been accomplished
and furnish Information. instruction
through dry farming territory have spe-
cial agents travelling about delivering
lectures to the public and visiting the
farmers privately In order to encour-
age them in their work and to insure
good crops as far as possible. and met
on the cars today DR.. e. w. Hunt Of
Alliance. Neb.. formerly professor in the
university Of that state. who is spending
his entire time travelling from village to
village and from farm to farm in this
part Of the country, teaching the people
how to get the best results from their
soil and their labor.
Dr.. Hunts Work Among Farmers.
DR.. Hunts salary and expenses are
paid by c. A. Newberry. q dealer In agri-
cultural implements and machinery at
Alliance. Mr.. Newberry has three mo-
tives for the unusual public spirit he has
shown. He says. first, that he has made
a fortune out of the farmers and owes
them something In return: second. that
as they prosper he will prosper; the more
money they make the more machinery
and implements they will buy, and he
will get his share of the trade: while in
the third place he says that DIR. Hunt is
the best advertiser that he knows Of.
There Is no more doubt about the good
Mr.. Newberry is doing IN this way than
there is about his candor in explaining
his motives and he could not have chosen
more effective missionary than Prof.
Hunt. who was compelled to leave his
chair in the faculty of the University
OF Nebraska because of a partial stroke
Of paralysis and. was warned by the
doctors that he must live an outdoor life
II he wanted to live at all. DIR. Hunt
bought himself farm, dug out the sci
encs Of farming and was so successful