The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-06-17
AGRICULTURAL INVESTIGATION
ALONG THE p. 5. ". RAILWAY

summer fallowed (summer TILED all of
last summer. At seeding time, Septem.
Der l3, 1909, several borings made with
n soil auger "a a depth of six feet show
ed the soil to be quite moist, TO that
depth, and one boring made in the cen.
ter Of the field, to q depth of twelve
feet, showed the soil to be apparently
as moist in the second six feet as IN
the upper six feet. There are two aud
"a fourth acres in the field. II was seed.
ed broadcast with Turkey Red wheat
at the rate Of thirty pounds per acre,
plowed under, dragged aud narrowed.
When | examined the field last on
May eth I found a good stand of
wheat about eighteen to twenty inches
high on the average with fair sized
heads. The moisture was exhausted in
the first six feet Of the soil and the
crop was just beginning 10 show the
need of rain. In the latter part of
May, | visited most Of the sections
where dry farming is being attempted
along the f.. L. a =. W. line between
FL Paso and Tucumcari, and Mr.. Traps
wheat field is the only living field of
winter wheat | saw. II is also the only
piece of winter wheat that | know of
having been sown last fall on summer
fallowed land in this same belt.
This wheat field has had two dis.
stinct advantages one or the other of
which has not been enjoyed by any
other field Of wheat at the same time
in the belt of country in question. First
it is situated at a point between FL
Paso and Tucumcari, where the preci.
p~itation is greatest, although the pre-.
eipitation at Corona during the p, Rod
Of time affecting this crop was, in all
probability, no greater than the normal
for some other places between these two
points, Second, il grew on summer Gal
lowed land in which a great deal of
moisture had been conserved during the
summer.
Mr.. Trap summer fallowed this piece
Of land for winter wheat at my sugges.
ton and have kept il under close OBJ.
servation in order 10 gain all the in.
formation We could regarding the sue.
cess Of winter wheat grown on summer
fallowed land as compared with that
obtained from ordinary methods. OF
course the yields obtained at harvest
time will tell the whole story, but /
bring the matter to the attention of the
farmers at this time in order that if
any are contemplating sowing wheat
this fall they might Re induced to try
clean summer fallow this summer at
least on a small scale for comparative
purposes. After harvest il would be too
late TO begin for o fall crop,
Winter wheat sown after some other
crop, or on land not summer fallOwed,
is almost certain TO be a failure and
the success of winter wheat even or
land previously moistened to several
feet by the use Of clean summer fallow
in this belt is uncertain. To begin a
fallow now for a crop TO be planted next
spring would be promising.
IL there are any other farmers who
have fields Of winter wheat between
III Paso and %Tucumcari, tributary to
the T., r. & 3. w line. ] would be pleas.
ed 10 ave them write me at Tucum.
carl, New Mexico, giving me the loca-
ton, size and present condition of their
fields. ! Also desire to get the farmers
tributary to the T.. p. & s. w. lines
who are attempting to irrigate from
wells, especially with windmills.
Very truly yours,
r. 8. TRUMBULL.
Agricultural Agent r. p. & :. W.