Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1909-11-19

the land is non productive each year,
that is during the year that it is being
fallowed
The amount OF this land has never
been accurately estimated. In the
United States it would probably COW
CT not less than 100, 900 600 to POO ,tOO,-
0oo acres. All this land can be made
to produce good crops. 1t will not he
wise, therefore to dismiss this dry
farming idea as being Of but lit tie ac-
count. 1t is Il mighty problem Cana
da has also very large area of such
land.
During recent years much OF what
was regarded as dry country is not so
regarded now, as the moisture has
been more than it WAS in former
years. Some areas in the western
part of both Dakotas come under this
head. Some of the people in those
areas resent the idea that they live in
Il dry country. Let them beware.
The thing that hath been is that
which shall be. Dry years will come
again. When they do come the great
matter is to handle the land SO as to
be ready for them. The past summer
was regarded in much of the western
Dakotas as being unusually moist.
and yet know Of one locality in
western North Dakota where the
rainfall during the period of growth
was only inches and yet on the state
demonstrations farm in that locality.
yield of s bushels of fife wheat was
obtained per acre.
All the mountain states have much
land that can only be farmed on the
dry farming plan. The same is true
of portion Of each OF the states that
border on these. In those areas the
farmers should never be caught nap
ping. a portion Of the land should
be carefully fallowed every year and
corn should be grown on another por-
ton. This done, the dry land farmer
will never be without some crop.
Farming in Dry Areas.
When growing winter crops in dry
areas, a certain course of tillaye must
be followed to bring success with it.
The winter crops which in northern
areas consist Of wheat and rye must
be sown early. The object sought in
sowing them early is to give them
time to form good strong top root
that they may go through the winter
safely. Wheat in northern areas
should be sown in August. Rye may
do a little later, but it may also be
sown earlier if it is pastured. In or
der to insure termination at that
season when the weather is usually
very dry the ground especially for
wheat should be summer allowed and
every care should be taken to keep
all the moisture in the land that was
there at the time when the land was
plowed and all that has followed sub
sequently which means that it must
be pressed down as soon as plowed,
and frequently narrowed especially
after rain. 1t may also be Il good
plan to drill wheat in among the
standing corn. the corn being cut
subsequently. but the value of grow
ing it thus has not apparently been
proved under dry farming conditions.
The wheat and also the rye especi-
ally the latter may in some in
stances be drilled in stubble us for
instance hulless barley stubble, and
still produce a good crop. But this
can only be done safely when there is
enough moisture to germinate the
seed. The amount to SOW will vary
with fhe soil, but usually from 3 to 4
pecks of wheat per acre will be
enough. Considerably more rye is
wanted, as it does not stool SO readi-
ly as wheat. Both wheat and rye
should be narrowed early in the
spring and possibly once again after
it has made considerable growth.
The object is of course to retail.
moisture.
Spring crops, as wheat, barley, oats
and SpeltZ are sOWn on summer-fal-
lowed land, or on land that was cul-
tivated, while it grew the last crop
taken from it. This means that it
will follow cOrn,. potatoes, roots, field
peas, beans and i'm some instances
sorghum or ka.lir corn. The success
of grain following these will be
mpaS,ra!,lv Iai,enIant On thp care
fulness Of the cultivation given to
the preceding crop. The more care
full that the cultivation has been. the
more completely will the moisture be
preserved that has fallen.
AS rule, the ground should not be
! nlowad after the cultivated crop. bat
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