The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-04-09
(By Johann Safary.)

Dry Farming Made Good is told all
over the arid and semi-arid regions
fthe United States, and this state
ment, made by the most prominent
practical and scientific men of the
country, is verified by facts discussed
in detail at the Dry Farming congress
held in the last few years.
AS this word spread abroad, it took
very few years for all the arid and
semi-arid regions of the world to be-
come interested and to be represented
in the discussion of dry farming, which
is one of the most important questions
Of our age. AS kind invitation was
extended to us, Hungary joined in the
movement sending her delegates to the
congress.
Generally it is held that semi arid
or dry farming country, is one where
the average rainfall does not exceed
20 inches. The statistics of Hungary
show a yearly rainfall higher than that
hut notwithstanding this fact, 1 want
to state that Hungary is right in join
ing the Dry Farming congress and that
she has the best hopes for her own wei
fare and that of the several dry coun-
tries from the proceedings of this con-
gress.
Climate.
Hungary is located in the middle
part of the continent OF Europe and.
hence. has what is called a continental
climate, being exposed to irregular and
sudden changes and extremes of
weather. Hungary is about one third
larger than Montana and supports a
population of about 10000, 900 A third
of the total area is included in the
Karpathian mountains, which sur
round the western, northern and east
ern borders of the country. some peaks
rising as high as 5000 feet. The balance
Of the country is a fiat lowland called
the Great Hungarian Alfold about 150-
bottom of large inland sea of past
ages. The soil is deep alluvial, chang
ing from light sand to the finest sandy
loan and to the most fertile heavy,
black clay.
Growing severe enough to stop
blowing about the middle of December
~,
months, the temperature varying with
periods above the freezing point: d
temperature Of zero Fahrenheit is re-
garded as too cold, and II degrees be-
low zero Fahrenheit is rare excep-
ton. Then comes a short springtime
from the middle of March until the
end of April, succeeded, often in May,
by the real heat of summer, which in
creases with the drouth and reaches it's
height about the end of July, the tenn
perature seldom rising as high as 100
degrees Fahrenheit in the shade. These
conditions allow US TO crop nearly every
kind Of cultivated plants, except those
of the tropics. We SOW the small
grains chiefly in October, then again
in March and April and our wheat har-
vest is in Judy.
The statistics show an average rain
fall in the mountains of Hungary
above 35 inches; in the foothills, 80
inches. and in the most important ag-
ricultural regions-that is, in the low
lands-25 inches. This gives a very
good average and sufficient to grow
crops with. Hungary. however. suffers
often and severely with the drouth and
the lrregularity and extreme changing
of the weather cause failures, affecting
various districts and different kinds OF
plants.
Drouth.
The dry period generally includes
June, July, August and September The
largest part of the precipitation comes
in the six winter months. November
April: so we depend mostly upon this
winter moisture. 1t happens sometimes
that the soil becomes frozen before the
sncw falls. so that when the snow
NETS, especially with rainy weather,
theh water cannot percolate through