Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1910-01-28
FARMING POINTERS
DOES NOT PAY TO HURRY
A Big DRY LAND FARMER OF THIS STATE
EMPHASIZES NECESSITY OF
THOR0UGHNESS.

Norman E. Holden, the big dry
land farmer of this valley, was In
Dillon today and gave out some valu-
able information relative to that sort
of farming says special dispatch
from Dillon to the Anaconda Stand
ard.
His ideas are based upon several
years actual experience. and there
are no theories about them. He said:
''rhe worst mistake new man at
the business can make is to attempt
to grow crop the first year. My
advice to the new dry land farmers
who are taking up the bench lands in
this and other parts of Montana and
who have had no experience in grow
ing crops in an arid section without
irrigation is to start plOwing as early
AS possible in the spring. Take Il
roller and harrow to the field with
you. aud, after plOwing new ground
until about II O'Clock in the MORN
ing, hitch to the roller and roll the
land down the same way as you pl0w-
ed it. Then hitch to the harrow and
go over it with implements until you
have . mulch of fine dirt about three
inches deep.
This treatment puts your soil in
good shape for conserving the mois-
ture-y0u need to do no other work OH
it again during the season other than
to 60 over it with a harrow Occasi-
onally. when it needs it. If q rain
comes that packs the soil and makes
crust on top, get into the field with
harrow just as soon as the soil is
dry enough to not stick to the harrow
and break this crust, or your mois-
ture will all disappear. If drouth
comes you must harrow. Go into the
field and scrape up the dry mulch
with your hand TO the damp soil
about three inches below. If you see
the dryness is extending down, then
harrow. You should remember that
three inches of nice dry mulch OH top
is the dry farmers water right.
"The practice of narrowing after
rain not only breaks the crust and
conserves the moisture, but it also
lets air into the soil.
"There are more crop failures Oh
dry land farms because the soil does
not get air than for want Of moisture.
When one grasps the idea that air is
necessary to successful cropping, he
! begins to be dry farmer.
"There is a diversity of opinion on
the depth new land should be plowed,
but my experience has taught me
that five inches is deep enough. If
| one plows deeper and turns up poor
soil to the top it takes the air long
time to enrich that soil. And then
five inches can be turned up much
more cheaply than eight or nine
inches. The advocates of deep plow-
ing virtually dispute capllarity, thus
showing total lack of knowledge Of
the principles of the movements of
soil moisture.
"Sod land, plowed, rolled and har-
rowed in the spring, is ready for win
ter wheat to be sowed in August.
After the grain is up and there comes
a rain, get out with your harrow and
go over the land crossways Of the
drill rows. The idea is to 60 into the
winter with rs much mulch over the
grain as possible, for this overcomes
the evil effects of chinooks during the
winter.
''Red Turkey wheat has been found
the most satisfactory by me. Rye is
a hardy plant and will give an
abundance of fall pasture. If a
spring crop is to be grown, double
disc the land late in the fall and leave
it rough for the winter, and in the
spring harrow the land as soon as the
frost is out of the top. If wheat is to
be sown in the spring, the kubanka
strain of macaroni will be found the
very best, for it is strong drouth
resister. If one desires good feed for
anything on the farm, he cannot do
better than to plant the Canadian
field peas. 1t does remarkably we'll
under arid conditions, can be har-
vested by the stock and it is a great
nitrogen gathering plant, which
leaves the soil enriched for crop of
wheat or anything else.
"Alfalfa is friend to the dry land
farmer. If sOwn on summer-tilled
| soil one need have no fear but that