The Estancia news. [volume] (Estancia, Torrance County, N.M.) 1904-1912, 1909-05-07
WHIT IS
DRY FARMING

/ BY JOHN T. BuRNs,
Sec. and Treas. Dry Farming Cenerss
Il question frequently asked: "Wha'
is Dry Farming?" and which may B.
most easily, yet enigmatieally' answer.
ed with:
at is not dry farming at tall"
Dry Farming = sscallsd larn opsr.
alton under limited rainfall IN districte
where irrigation water cannot 30 ob.
tained, or where the supply q irr,gs-
tion water is inadequate to meet the
requirements of the acreage.
Dry Farming is not yet A exact
science" as one experimentalist states
il. There are yet many things to learn
and the "wise farmer" has turned
student and scientist in order that he
may assist in mastering the prsblems
confronting the agricultural In the
semi-arid regions.
A study of Dry Farming includes
or should-a study Of soils, seeds,
adaptability of crops to locality, adapt
ability Of methods to climatic ccndi-
tions, causes Of success or failure In
like districts. farm machinery. erep re-
tation, and many places Of farm oDsr-
alton by which the socalled arid laads
can be made to yield profit.
Dry Farming demands the establish.
ment of a natural reservoir in the sell
by the conservation of the limited rain.
fall or other form Of moisture through
methods by which waste and .svaposa.
zion are prevented. In some localitiss
enough water can be conserved to crop
annually-in others two years rainfall
should be reserved for the crop.
Enemies Of western progress openly
claim that dry farming is-and always
must bs-a failure. Many who have
given the matter no serious thought
believe-from hearsay-thSt the dry
farmers must fail. Many dry farmers
have faiIed-but farming never.
There are soils and climatic soadi-
tiens in many sections Of the west
where dry farming OF in fact any kind
Of farming cannot bs successfully sar.
ried on.
PERSONAL INvEsTIGATIoN
The prospective investor and the
homssteader should take nothing fol
granted He should investigate every
local condition. Opinions a. - what
constitutes desirable dry land differs,
but under varying conditions Of ssil
and altitude thousands Of dry farm
| land operators are making coed" OF
eight to twenty-four inches prscipita.
tion.
In eastern Oregon and Washington
eight inches government record) hal
produced profitable crops for mani
years.
In California where ten inches ka'
been the average, crops are being pre-
duced every year.
In high attitudes. with twelve +
fourteen inches precipitation utilize
under alternate or bisnnia! systems
every crop possible Of production unds
irrigation is profitably grown withsu
irrigation.
With precipitation Of hftssn I
twenty four inches, many farmers
high attitudes are cropping annually.
Then again, many farmers under .
Of the above named conditions are fai
ing continually.
Bankers fail when they refuse
bank along legitimate lines.
, Merchants fail when they attempt
, eerduct their business without due =
r gard for the requirements ef tbs
. trade.
/ Farmers fail in every 1syt sf d
\ world and under the most favesah
q conditions unless they sndsavsI 70 ed
i. cate themselves int the iastbs1s ne
]. ssssry for their particulsr w.t. S,isls
Z and markets.