The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1909-02-12
THE DISCUSSION
OF DRY FARMING
sGc0gYAAv 0URNS CALLS AYTEM
vaoN TO soUTH DAKOTA en-
oaMEER's REPORT.
xeETlN6 At CHEYENNE
eAcTo SHOWN ~ RECORDS OF
the AMe-AiseouaI DRY
FARMING CONGRESS.

Samuel H. Lea. state enginser of
South Dakota. devOtes four pages OF
his latest biennial report to the sub
jsct ce dry farming. the resume in
Guiding . 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 %,
- 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 ef the congress. Mr.. Lea will
deliver one Of the principal addresses
ot.the congress.
Engineer Lea's 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
Dracticed. In western South Dakota
there is Q 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 all increase
In population which will ultimately
drive out the cattle and cause the oc-
cupat.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-
tion is not the limit Of farm extension.
especially In a region where there ID
4 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 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
er areas will be discovered where dry
farms will be successful"
Mr.. Lea, however. says Secretary
Burns, in spite of this official indorse
ment of dry farming, still evinces q
spirit of caution which is not shared by
dry farmers of practical experience
who have proven by their success that
there is no more danger Of failure in
dry farming II conducted along the ap.
proved and demonstrated lines than in
any other form of agriculture. Mr.. Lea
says certain amount of supplemental
irrigation is required to extend the lin
its of settlement. In support OF this
he declares that dry farming does not
always present the attractive appear
ance that an irrigated tract does be-
cause the home is not surrounded by
shade trees. green grass and other veG;-
citation requiring plentiful use of wa.
ter
While It is true that the formerly
barren prairie that has been turned
into garden by the skill of the dry
farmer lacked these esthetic attrac-
tions, yet the records Of the Trans
Missouri Dry Farming congress con-
tain many letters from dry farmers
describing their homes as thoroughly
attractive. For instance. in the arid
region north and northwest of FL Paso.
where the rainfall is less than 10 inch
es, flowers are raised, perhaps not In
the profusion Of greenhouse. but In
sufficient quantity to form beautiful
surroundings for the home of the
farmer.
J. w. Reeves who has a dry farm
twenty miles north OF Ell Paso. where
the rainfall is practically the same as
that given for the city. has succeeded
In raising such flowers as Gala lilies
and other fora with gratifying re-
suits
A more convincing answer to the
South Dakota engineers argument,
however, is found on the ranch of f.
R. Parsons, near Parker. Colo. few
miles from Denver. Mr.. Parsons has
an orchard of more than 1000 trees
and is steadily enlarging 1t. He be-
gan with a small family orchard. The
trees include apples. plums and cher
ries, the last giving the best results.
The fifth year Mr.. Parsons reports
his cherries and plun1s had paid all
the expenses of trees and cultivation
to date.
Millions Wasted.