St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1910-07-29
CROPS FOR DRY FARMING.
FalI-Sown Grains Generally Best for
This Purpose.

crop OF large part OF the seml-arlt
West. 1t is not particularly drouth
resistant crop, although certain varie
ties appear to succeed better thar
others in.the dry districts. The hard
Red Turkey or Russian wheat is the
type or variety which has proven hard
lest and most productive throughout
the Western part Of the winter wheat
belt. In the spring wheat states the
standard sorts grown are Fife and
Bluestem, which are also hard wheats.
The Durum, or Macaroni wheat, IL
rapidly coming into use in the North.
western states, and IL appears TO be
harder and more productive than the
ordinary spring wheats. This wheat
was introduced from Russia, where II
has long been grown in a climate and
under conditions similar to those Of the
western part of the Northwest states.
II is decidedly "dry land farming"
crop, and IL is the hope Of those inte-
rested in introducing this wheat that
it may prove successful in districts
where the rainfall is not sufficient or
is too uncertain to grow the common
wheat, and thus extend profitable
wheat growing still farther west and
into the semi-arid lands Of the Noun
tain states.
At present, with the varieties grown,
the success Of the wheat crop In the
West is more largely due TO the fact
that the crop grows during part Of
the year when drouth is least apt 10
prevail than 10 the drouth-resistant
character Of the crop. But wheat Is
deep feeder and a rapid grower. The
plant draws It's food and moisture from
a large volume Of coil and is able 10
Withstand considerable unfavorable
weather conditions; yet the crop Is
often materially injured and the yield
decreased by drouth during almost any
period Of It's growth. BY hot winds
and unfavorable weather conditions a
promising crop may be destroyed In n
few days.
Wheat cannot stop growing and re-
main dormant during an unfayorable
period Of growth, M does kafr corn or
sorghum. The grain must finish It's
growth and mature In about a certain
period, whatever the conditions for
growth may be.
Spring wheat Ia not we'll adapted for
growing In Kansas. but with sufficient
moisture 10 start IL In the fall, and
with the usual spring rains. winter
wheat In a profitable crop. even In the
western counties Of the state, where
the annual rain fall does not exceed
fifteen 10 twenty inches.
However. the methods Of growing
the crop are crude. Often the West
ern farmer plants 30 many acres that
he IL unable 20 farm the land well.
and the result Ia n poor crop, N the
season 10 at all unfavorable,
Some farmera. however. are adopt
ing better methods. Enough good
farming has been done 10 prove that Il
pays 10 cultivate and till the land well.
Mr.. II. w. Campbell reported remark
able results from practice Of his sys-
TEN Of culture on the Pomeroy model
farm. In Graham county, Kansas.
For sereval years this farm was mau5
10 produce twice ms much wheat per
acre as the average crop In the sur
country, with on other treat
ment Of the soil except thorough till
age and cultivation.
Al the Fort Hays Branch experiment
station. In Ellis county. enough has
been accomplished, In the ten seasons
since that station was established, 10
demonstrate that In the semi-arid |
West good farming pays as well or
even better than IL does In the rich |
farming states Of the Mississippi val
ley.
Emmer.
Emmer has proved 10 be especially |
hardy and drouth-resistant, and In the
states this grain has
given greater yields per acre than bar
ley or oats. However, at the Fort |
Hays station. In Western Kansas. en-
mer has not proved as hardy and pro-
iuetive as barley and oats. As feed |
ammer will hardly take the place Of |
barley and oats. but ii may be ground
and fed In combination with these
grains or with corn. Wherever barley
Or oats produce well emmer is not an
profitable crop 10 grow. but
In those sections Of the West in which
the grains mentioned cannot be sue
grown, emmer may prove TO
be profitable crop.
Barley.
Barley Is successfully grown in Kan
ias farther west than any other spring
grain. In fact, barley is produced in
arger quantities in the western eoun-
lies Of Kansas than in the central and
EASTERN counties. The counties pro-
iueing the largest number of bushels
IN 1900 were as follows; Pawnee,
Barton. Ness, Rush, Thomas. Pratt
and Hodgman. Each of these counties
produced over l50, 600 bushels of bar
ey in the year mentioned.
Winter Rye.
Another crop that grows success
ully in western Kansas is winter rye.
This crop. however, is not grown as
as barley, and is appar-
'ntly a less profitable crop TO grow
han wheat. Dry Farming Bulletin.