The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-10-01

watered lands in the rain belt. If this
demand is supplied, then the produc.
ton to supply 1T must come from the
dry farmed lands. @
Other crops of value can be pro.
duced as successfully and profitably
as wheat, under like conditions. Dry
farming is therefore no unimportant
question. 1t is a big question-one Of
the biggest the present generation
will be called upon to consider. 1t
means an increased prosperity to arid
regions, rural homes for those in con-
gested centers, occupation for the un-
employed, food for the hungry. 1t
means wealth and happiness for thou.
sands now living and millions yet un-
born.
The amount of land which may be
irrigated is, however, limited by the
water supply and the cost of reclama.
ton. When every available second
foot of water has been appropriated
and applied to land that will Justify
the cost. of reclamation, and performs
thereon, the highest possible duty,
there will remain millions of acres of
land which, under like conditions,
would be as productive as the lands
reclaimed. Such lands have hereto
fore been, and are now, chiefly used
for the GRAZING Of livestock. This is
not unimportant, but the function thus
performed is not a. 1.-THE Of that which
may be performed under. different
conditions.
THE limit of production will be
reached at no distant date if cultiva.
ton is confined to lands iwatered by ir.
rigation or natural. rain fall. The
thinking mindisof man. spurred on no
doubt by, anticipated necessity, has
discovered means whereby these
grazing lands 4 may, be made, to pro.
duce in greater quantities than under,
natural conditions. 1t has been DEM
onstrated that the soil, when properly
prepared and cultivated will absorb
and ithold moisturex 4: The /. preparation,
and cultivation of the soil so that it
will gather and retain sufficient rain
fall to produce. crops, is dry, farming,
or more properly designated, scien.
tiic farming. In other words, the
soil is converted into a storage reser.
voir for the moisture which supports
plant life during the season when
precipitation is not sufi1cient.
Dry farming is not theory: it Ia
an accomplished fact. There iis q vast
area of arabic land which cannot he
reclaimed, and situated where Z. the
rain fall is not suflcient to make ,pro.
ductive. Consider. for q moment what
the cultivation Of this land will mean
to future production. ~ 3'3S
From experiments conducted. act.
ual cultiyati lon carried on and obserya-
tions made Id many sections 81 the
state. 1t Is confidently believed that
this area of 90, 100000 acres can be
successfully dry farmed. II one.hali
OF that acreage were cultivated each
year to wheat and produced 20 bushels
Ian acre, an aggregate of 200, 900, O00
bushels would be the result. An es
innate Of 40 bushels an acre seems
conservative when note is taken 81
the fact than an average Of so bushelt
An acre has been obtained from ,tht
\ lands here ofore dry sfarmed: S:ssi
ontana possesses less than one
stenth ~ the lands situated III 1.-THE
Hssemi.arid ssWest, which can be cult
aIvltsd successfully ~. dry farmins
msfhnds. Tho nine. telths III ths i sre I
jssituatad Is other III ten Atllss ID S ssEtas