Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-25

r7s=z==s=O HE Dry Farming congress-
kSS~.N which meets in BILLINGS
~ M Mont, today. is the fourth
general convention of farm
SE ers and scientists interested
ls12UI in that branch of the con-
servation of semi-arid land
areas which is commonly known as
"dry farming" This is a compare
lively new term in agriculture. 1t Is
also misleading and is not to be taken
literally. A better term would be
conservative farming" as it is i'm
possible to dispense with water IN aS-
riculture. Dry farming in the sense
used in connection with this congress
is that system of farm operations IN
semi-arid regions which uses only the
moisture of natural precipitation
without any aid from irrigation. 1t is
dry" in contrast TO farming as con-
Quoted in humid or semi-arld regions
The first Dry Farming congress met
in Denver, in which city it established
permanent International headquarters;
succeeding congresses were held IN
Salt Lake and Cheyenne, and the Bill
ings meeting, which begins today, IS
the fourth. It will be attended by
representatives from all portions OF
se1ni-arid America and by delegates
from Canada, Australia, South AFRICA
Russia, Brazil and Mexico. Inc
greater NUMBER Ol ASlO5dbOo VIZ ~
Americans, of course, representing the
farmers, the various state departments
of agriculture and the federal govern
ment. Representatives from many ag-
ricultural schools also will be in at
tendance. The objects of the congress
are in brief: To encourage the use OF
methods to increase the actual pro-
ductive acreage in districts where RAIN
fall is slight; to create closer cooper
L, STATE
experts and the farmers of the semi
arid districts; to enlarge plans for
great educational propaganda py
which, eventually, che arid districts OF
the entire world can be populated by
prosperous agriculturists; to encour-
age legislation looking to increased
federal and state appropriations Tor
the establishment of more experiment
tai stations, and to study methods and
results of Cry farming operations IN
the various states md in foreign coun-
tries.
In connection with this congress an
International Dry Farming exposition
is being held in Billings. In this eX-
position are exhibited the products OF
non-irrigated lands in TIE arid regions
of this and other countries. also up
to date farm machinery of types par
ticularIy adapted to dry farming.
Unfortunately the misleading char
acter of the term dry farming" has
caused a great many people TO pase
unfounded hopes of wealth and aiflu-
ence upon the opportunities to take up
free land in the west. 1t has been
demonstrated that in a majority of
cases the farmer who succeeds In So
called dry farming operations is the
same farmer who would apply the
most modern scientific methods to ag-
ricuIture in a humid region. Where
conditions are reasonably favorable,
and where the farmer will faithfully
observe the requirements OF more
or less imperfect scientific schedule,
the results often have been nothing
less than wonderful.
The principle of dry farming is that
of conserving every particle of mo1s7
ture that falls during the year-not
in large reservoirs or behind eXpen-
sive concrete dams. but in the soil it.
self. A year before crop is TO pe
planted the land is plowed deeply with
special machinery. Strong disk pIoWs
not only pulverize the sub-so1 but
pack it into a firm bed through which
the water may not sink and through
which the excessive alkali that usually
lies four or five feet below the surface
may not rise by evaporation to burn
and blight vegetation.
On top of this sub-soil the surface
soil is pulverized by specially con-
structed machipery to such degree
Of fineness that it apears to have been
powdered between the fingers. This |
overcoat of dust makes mulch
through which rain and melted snow
NAV percolate to rest on the packed
sub-soil beneaeth, but through which |
little moisture can rise This mulch |
defeats the natural process of capl-
larry evaporation and prevents the
great waste of water occastoned In or
dinary agriculture.
After the soil is prepared then spe-
cIal care must be given to the varieties
of grains to be planted. The early
pioneers who attempted agricultural
onerations in the semi-arid portions |
of the great plains failed completely
in places which are now considered to |
be excellent agricultural lands. One |
Of the reasons was that they sowed |
wheat which had been grown in the
humid regions of the Mississippi val |
lev and which was of variety re-
ouiring a great deal of moisture.
Within the last few years the research |
of agricultural experts into all parts |
of the world resulted in experiments
being made with grains produced IN
comparatively dry regions. The grams
from Siberia have been found !
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