The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1910-06-16
FARM IN DRY AREAS
To Succeed One Must Make Best
Possible Use of All Moisture.
First Year Flax and Potatoes Would
Be Money Crops for the Season
Corn and Beans VIII Grow
Without Cultivation.
tBy PROF. THOMAS eHAwJ

(By PROF. THOMAS SHAW)
Areas are said TO be dry where the
normal precipitation runs from say IL
to 20 inches with an average OF about
10 inches. In such areas the annual
rainfall during the growing season.
that is during April, May. June and
July. is approximately eight to ten
inches. Such areas cover much of the
western Dakotas. Montana, eastern
Washington and Oregon and other
mountain states that lie TO the south
ward. In these areas the settler will
not succeed In growing good crops un-
less all his operations are conducted
with a view to make the best possible
use OF the moisture that falls. To aid
the new settler In such areas In con-
ducting his farm operations Is the OBJ.
ject of this paper.
II will be a decided advantage II
some of the ground has been broken
the previous year, but to hire such
work may involve considerable cost.
In any event the settler should be on
as soon as IL will answer to till the
ground IN the spring.
The first season he may SOW on
spring breaking oats. alfalfa and fax.
and he may plant corn. potatoes, field
beans, rutabagas and garden vege-
tables. The oats fed I'm the sheaf or
otherwise and the corn fed chiefly
as fodder. would furnish food for the
horses, the alfalfa would at once get
a start 10 furnish future hay crops.
The fax and potatoes would be the
money crops for the season. The
beans, rutabagas and garden vege-
tables would aid much in keeping
down store bills.
The aim should be to SOW or plant
these crops on land plowed fairly
deeply and thoroughly cut up with
disk and harrow on the surface. SO
as to make fine seed bed. The oats
should be drilled in as early as pos
sible, the fax coming next and alfalfa
after the fax The other crops may
follow as soon as the danger from
frost Is past. The corn and beans II
well planted. will grow without culti-
walton. but will be greatly benefited
by IL, The rutabaga seed may be scat.
tered broadcast and covered with the
harrow
As soon as the crops are planted
as much additional ground should be
broken as can be well cared for on
which to grow the bulk OF the second
years crop. Such breaking would be
chiefly done late in May. in June and
possibly early in July. AS the ground
is plowed from day to day II should
be rolled or planked the day that It ID
plowed. The disk should then be
used. followed quickly by the harrow
The harrow should be used at inter
walls. say OF two to four weeks. the re
mainder of the season. and especially
after any considerable amount of rair
has fallen. The object of these opera
tions is to hold moisture.
Sometime In August. a part of this
land should be sown in winter wheat
with a grain drill. putting the seed
down to where moisture Is found In
the soil. The best variety TO SOW IL
the Turkey Red. because of its hardi
hood and of the ready sale which Il
commands in the market. This wheat
will probably be the best money oror
for years to come Of all the crops
grown in dry areas. The land thus
managed and not sown to winter wheat
will be In fine condition for cereals tc
be sown the next spring. The larger
the area OF such land well prepared
the larger will be the crop of the sec
ond year. but in no case should the
care OF the land broken in the sum
mer be neglected In order to increase
the area sown.