The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-01-07
DRY LAND EXTENT
Is Found All Way from One Hun
dredth Meridian to Pacific.
Secretary Of Agriculture James vii.
son Sends Interesting Letter to
Fourth Dry Farming Congress
Held Recently at Billings.

The following letter from James
Wilson, secretary of agriculture. was
read at the Dry Farm congress, re-
Gently held at Billings. Mont:
We have dry lands with light rain
fall over nearly half the American re-
public. This department has begun a
reconnaissance survey of these dry
lands to ascertain the nature OF the
! soil and what other facts may be
of value to settlers. Dry land is found
all the way between the one hun
dredth meridian and the Pacific ocean,
and it will take some time to make
maps of all the dry regions. We have
made surveys of the west half of both
North and South Dakota and we are
at work on the dry portions of south
ern and western Texas. We have 81
dry land stations in the territory men
toned, where scientists are located
under the direct supervision of the de-
partment endeavoring to ascertain the
best methods of managing these lands
and securing plants that are best
adapted to them.
The lands that can be irrigated by
the water now flowing to waste are
limited. 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 usually rich in mineral plant food,
being the disintegrated rocks. AS far
as my observation goes, the soil is
quite often deficient in organic mat
ter. 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 is
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 sue
cess. Dry lands and lands highly ele-
waited and subject to low temperatures
In the winter are found in other parts
Of the world and the Maker has sup.
HAASA ShSAA VIII pldAlS lllol are eOUu
food for animals, and these plants we
are bringing to the United States and
propagatfng and getting ready to dis
tribute them. DR.. Hansen of the South
Dakota experiment station brought us
three new alfalfas and a new clover
last year from Siberia that we think
when propagated will help solve dry
land problems in the west.
1T may be offering challenge to
your congress for me to say that I
am satisfied the system of following
or cultivating two years for one crop,
is in the wrong direction. 1t is not
necessary to adopt any plans for the
purpose of increasing mineral plant
food. that is abundant generally, but
1t is necessary to consider the re-
plenishing of the soil with organic
matter SO that the decaying vegeta-
ton coming from deep roofing plants
may help in retaining the moisture.
We look to the legume to help us out
IN making the dry areas of the great
west productive, because it not only
enables the soil to retain moisture, but
adds what is not found among mineral
plant foods, the nitrogen that the le-
gume brings from the atmosphere.
Your people will, do doubt, care
fully consider methods of cultivation.
will not go into that at this time.
The necessity for retaining all rains
that do fall upon the land >and the
methods by which this should be done,
are fairly well understood by most
OF our western people. We will en-
deavor here to make careful research
and have it repeated sufficiently so
that we will reach safe generalization,
and when we have this work done
80 that we are satisfied we are on the
right track. we will print extensively
and send the matter out to your peo-
ple."