Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1910-04-16
DRY FARMING Theme
INTERESTING FACTS VOICED
BY D. 7. HAM.
States Spreads to Foreign Lands-Has
Brought Settlers and the West and
Northwest Are Developing Fast Under
These New Methods.

LICcC >CW 41Cb1Ooo-
Probably no subject of public inter-
est in recent years has attracted such
wide attention or spread so rapidly as
that of dry farming. Four gatherings
have been held for the discussion of this
subject and preparations are now going
forward for the fifth convention of the
Dry Farming. congress and Interna-
tional Dry Farming exposition, which
viii be held in Spokane the first week
in October.
Every state and territory in the So
called arid and the semi-arid west and
many of the states in the humid dis
tricts of the United States are pre-
pairing to send delegates to this con-
gress, and the provinces of western
Canada and the provinces and nations
on every continent are also making ar
rangements for representation with
delegates and exhibits.
Not only agriculturists and opera
tive farmers, but scientists of the fore
most agricultural colleges and expert
ment stations, of the national depart
ments of agriculture of many govern
ments, as well as economists and pub
licists everywhere are interested in this
movement.
Wonder of Age.
The growth of the dry farming move
ment is one of the wonders of the
present age. A term that was pro-
vOcative of incredulOus smiles and
deprecatOry jests five years ago, today
is recognized as symbolical of the
higher agriculture toward which all ma
lions are striving. The first meeting,
at which the Trans Missouri Dry Farm
ing congress was formed, was regarded
as joke; the fifth Dry Farming con-
gress, which will meet in Spokane, holds
the serious attention of nations.
Growth Phenomenal.
The growth of the dry farming move
ment has been phenomenal in that it
has spread to all quarters of the globe
in four years, but its advancement to
the front of public questions in eco
nOmic Importance is particularly notice
able in the western United States and
Canada.
Five years ago there were a few
farmers struggling against adversely on
Mexico, Utah and elsewhere In the semi
arid west. The settlers who took up
land In non-irrigable sections of the
west were regarded as foolhardy, or
worse. Their efforts to make the dry
farms productive were condemned as in
yiting nothing but failure.
Early Settlers Struggled
Many settlers who had gone into
the dry regions did fail and many
struggled along for years ezing out
bare existence with the aid of a few
exceptionally propitious years, but num-
beers succeeded. Scattered throughout
the west ia Utah, Wyoming, Montana,
Colorado, and in other states were more
on less isolated exceptions to the ex-
pectations Of the pessimists. In some
sections, notably in eastern Washing
ton, Oregon aud Utah, there were
notable exceptions, and in these states
dry farming was accepted as a fact
Five years ago the newspapers Of
the country were reluctant ~ publish
articles of the successes of dry farm
ing. There was prevalent idea
throughout the east chat the greater
part of the west WAS useless for farm.
ingi that desert land would lemain bar.
rem and desoIate whore tne iulsaunf
ditch MAS unknoNi, AND that ~ called
day tanning WAS ridieuions ln eoneep
Non and mplaciieaple in application
Scientific culryafiop.
Iho failures ihai hnff leen reeordeo
. among tNe seliIelf Qn tle day lana'
.aud ilr uIeiudill in ilo minds III fatI