The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1909-10-26
DRY.F.ARMING CON.
GRESS CONVENES
Especial to Silver State.)


BILLINGS, Mont, Oct. 26.-The fol
lowing letter from James Wilson, Sec
retary of agriculture, was read at the
opening session of the Dry Farming
congress, which convened here today:
+" Mr.. John T. Burns, Secretary-Tre
urer, the Dry Farming congress, Bill
lings, Montana.
"Dear Mr.. Burns: We have dry
lands with light rainfall over nearly
half the American republic. This
department has begun a reconnais-
sance survey of these dry lands to as
certain other facts that may be of value
to settlers. Dry land is found all the
way between the Tooth meridian and
the Pacific ocean, and it will take some
time to make maps of all the dry re.
gions. We have made surveys of the
west half of both North and South
Dakota and we are at work on the dry
portions of southern and western
Texas. We have 21 dry land stations
in the territory mentioned, where scien-
lists are located under the direct super
vision of the department endeavoring
to ascertain the best methods of manag-
ing these lands and securing plants that
are best adapted to them.
"The lands that can be irrigated by
the waters now FLOWING to waste are
liminted. After all the water has been
applied, there will still be millions of
acres that must be managed under
what is known as dry land farming.
l am glad that the people are meeting
together in congresses to study these
problems. They vary as the soils vary
and as the elevations vary. The soil
is unusually rich in mineral plant food,
being the disintefrated rocks. AS far
as my observation goes, the soil is
quite often deficient in organic matter.
The native plants we find growing on
these dry lands do not fill the soil with
roots, and it is necessary that we
should find such plants either at home
or abroad. This department II busily
engaged in hunting the world for
legumes that will grow on your driest
lands and on your highest line lands,
and we are having some success. Dry
lands and lands highly elevated and
subject to low temperatures in the
winter are found in other parts Of ths
world and the Maker has supplied them
with plants that are good food for ami
mails, and these plants we are bringing
to the United States and propagating
and getting ready to distribute them.
Dr. Hansen of the South Dakota Ex-
pertinent station, brought us three new
alfalfas and new clover last year
from Siberia that we think when propa-
gated will help solve dry land problems
in the west.
cit may be offering a challenge to
your congress for me to say that I
am satised the system of fallowing, or
eultivating two years for one crop is
in the wrong direction. 1t is not neces-
sary to adopt any plans for the pur-
pose of increasing mineral plant food,
that is abundant generally, but it is
necessary to consider the replenishing
of the soil with organic matter so that
the decaying vegetables coming from
deep roofing plants may help in retain
ing the moisture. We look to the
legume to help us out in making the
dry areas of the rgeat west productive,
hecause it not only enables the soil to
retain moisture, but adds what is not
found among mineral plant foods, the