Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-08-26


ana ii SO, now may dry farming
METHODS be made to conserve fertil-
ity as we'll as moisture, etc?
Inc second great problem which
confronted us was that of determin-
ing within the boundaries of our own
state the areas in which the princi-
pies OF tillage aIreauy worked out
would permit successful dry-farmng
operation, ana to which any new dis
coyerles would correctly apply.
Inc first problem, or the studies
/ OF fundamental agricultural princi-
/ pies, will obviously require the OBJ
/ servatlOns anu experiments OF several
! seasons before definite conclusions
can be reached. But in the study OF
/ the limits OF areas to which dry
/ farming may be extended with reas-
/ enable assurance OF success, certain
facts OF very great economic impor-
lance ana worthy of public knoWl-
eOge were almost Immediately dis
covered. 1t is to these that i wish to
call your attention.
There are two factors which de-
termine the adaptibility of any given
area OF land TO the successful pro-
ductlon Of farm crops by up to date
methods OF dry farming tillage
hese are. the amount Of moisture
necessary to produce full growth to
maturity OF the crop which is to be
grown, ana the amount OF moisture
which is annually received in that To-
cality.
Considerable work has already
been done 10 determine the amount
Of water needed to complete the
growth OF different farm crops. In
spite of the fact that each investi-
gator mas usually been careful to
state that the conclusions which he
has reached are not necessarily APP
pIicable to other than his own. and
OF the further fact that different in
YestgatOrs have settled upon eX-
tremely different amount Of water as
that actually necessary for any given
crop. Many agricultural writer's have
assigned certain definite amount in
tons per acre or inches of annual
rainfall as being necessary Tor the
production of certain sized crop Of
wheat, another for oats another for
corn, etc. At the very outset of our
Investigations We were confronted
by the fact that successful crops of
wheat were being grown in certain
sections OF the state which according
TO the best data obtainable did not
receive even in tWenty-four months,
or two full seasons, as much rainfall
as was considered by the agricultur-
al authorities to be necessary for
the production of this crop. Obvious
ly, then, either the standards or the
rainfall records were wrong.
We have, therefore, given consider
able attention during the past fiji
teen months to these two important
factors as applied to the further
extension of dry farming areas in our
state. Without going into details, the
presentation OF which would prolong
this article beyond your patience, |
may say that we have found some ev-
idence which seems to indicate that
plants may make better use of what
moisture there is in the soil under
certain conditions than under 9TH
ers. In other words it appears to be
possible to grow successful crops I'M
der very favorable conditions of quail
ity of soil, mode of tillage, etc, with
the actual use of less water than was
form erly believed possible. This we
think explains in part some of the
difference in crop production under
supposedly the same average annual
rainfall, which we have observed.
Furthermore, it is apparent from ac-
tual field study that there are con-
siderable variations in the moisture
holding capacity and ability to sup
ply moisture to crops of the soils
in different parts of the belts of
equal rainfall. Hence, we conclude
first of all, that further extension of
our dry farming areas must have
careful and exact study of soils and
crop growths as one of the necessary
qualifications of its success.
But our experience leads US to be-
lieye that a much more urgent need
is that of exact information as to
the actual amount of rainfall that
may be depended upon as the av-
erage supply for the locality in ques-
ton Far too much of our knoWl-
edge of rainfall conditions is a matter
of guesswork or of estimations based
upon the recoloctiOns of the famil-
lar oldest inhabitant." 1t is a fact
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