Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-05-12
Needs Moisture Badly. but Can
Worry Along for Ten
Days Yet.
BREEDING UP SEED WHEAT
Thirteen Experimental Dry Farms
Located In Eleven of the States
All Successful.

Some OF the best experimental work
being accomplished anywhere On the
United States along dry farm lines is
now IN progress az the Nephl sub-ex-
pertinent station. according TO W NJ
Jardine OF Washington. D. c.. head Of
cooperative dry farming throughout
the United states. who. together with
Prof +. d. Ball and Prof L. A. MGR
rilL returned Thursday morning from
an inspection Of the Nephi station.
And I attribute much Of the success
Of the Utah station 70 the hearty sup
port and cooperation and the entire
sympathy which exists between ths
federal officials and the state officials
IN the conduct of the work. the state
and the government each contributing
half TO the maintenance OF this insd-
tuition.
There are 100 acres under cultivation
al Nephi, and In spite of this being the
dryest season ever experienced, tine
farm Is In splendid shape and viii con-
tinue so for at least another 10 days
without any apparent 900 effects from
lack OF moisture. But such "a dry sea-
son necessitates an activity and alert
ness on the part Of Supt G.. " Gordon
and his men, who are working early
and late 90 carry their farm through
this hard strain. Since the planting OF
most OF the crops, the rainfall has
been but AGA inches. Considering
this trihing amount OF moisture, the
present healthful condition of the
grains, potatoes and other crops is re-
markabie. And under the present SPLEEN
did system OF cultivation the farm will
go nearly two weeks more without
suffering severely from lack Of rain.
''Ihe Nepm farm IS principally plant
ed 10 wheat, oats and potatoes this sea-
son As this Is one of the dryest dry
farms in the United states. we are here
securing much valuable knowledge for
the benefit Of other sections. And
thousands Of different strains are be-
ing developed and tested here For in
stance. In wheat, particularly fine look
ing plants with many large heads are
selected, numbered and watched. and
bred from. the same as animals are
bred up. In this way we are securing
many varieties which we expect viii be
particularly well adapted for dry farm
ing throughout the arid states.
Everything Is handled I'm the open un-
der the dry farm conditions that main
tain over the farm, and out OF posi-
bly, % good plants, only two may be
kept for seed. In this way the seed
wheat Is uniform and kept clean. /
venture 10 say that most OF the wheat
sown I'm Utah represents a dozen diff
ferent varieties. This initiates against
uniformity On growth and maturing.
THE fan-sOwn wheat on the farm
should harvest 20 TO % bushels 20 the
acre this season; the spring sown
wheat about 10 bushels to the acre.
1.-THE Nephi station has produced 1875
bushels OF potatoes TO the acre without
a drop OF water. and So bushels on land
which the previous year produced so
bushels Of wheat The alfalfa expert
ments are also proving valuable.
"I attribute the success Of the past
few years IN dry farming to having
practical and scientific men mt the
head. the advanced methods IN vogue.
better and improved varieties. with a
cultivated power OF resistance against
drouth.
There are now IS ~ these expert
mental farms In the United States-in
II Of the states They run in acreage
from 800 acres down to 100"
Mr.. Jardine expects 10 remain few
days I'm Utah From here he viii go
10 Idaho and oregon TO visit the sta
| tons I'm those states.