Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-07-28
CROPS FOR DRY FARMING.
Fall-Sown Grains Generally Best for
This Purpose.

I
West. 1t is not particularly drouth
resistant crop, although certain varie
ties appear to succeed better thar
others in the dry districts. The hare
Red Turkey or Russian wheat is the
type or variety which has proven hard
lest and most productive throughout
the Western part of the winter wheat
belt. In the spring wheat states the
standard sorts grown are Fife anC
Bluestem, which are also hard wheats,
The Durum, or Macaroni wheat. is
rapidly coming into use in the Moth
western states, and it appears to be
harder and more productive than the
ordinary spring wheats. This wheat
was introduced from Russia, where il
has long been grown in climate and
under conditions similar to those of the
western part of the Northwest states.
It is decidedly "dry land farming
crop, and it is the hope of those inte-
rested in introducing this wheat that
it may prove successful in districts
where the rainfall is not sufficient or
is too uncertain to grow the common
wheat, and thus extend profitable
wheat growing still farther west and
into the semi-arid lands of the Noun
tain states.
At present, with the varieties grown,
the success of the wheat crop in the
West is more largely due to the fact
that the crop grows during part of
the year when drouth is least apt to
prevail than to the drouth-resistant
character of the crop. But wheat is a
deep feeder and rapid grower. The
plant draws its food and moisture from
a large volume Of soil and is able to
withstand considerable unfavorable
weather conditions; yet the crop is
often materially injured and the yield
decreased by drouth during almost any
period of its growth. By hot winds
and unfavorable weather conditions a
promising crop may be destroyed in a
few days.
Wheat cannot stop growing and re-
main dormant during an unfavorable
period of growth, as does kafir corn or
sorghum. The grain must finish its
growth and mature in about a certain
period, whatever the conditions for
growth may be.
Spring wheat is not we'll adapted for
growing in Kansas, but with sufficient
moisture to start it in the fall, and
with the usual spring rains, winter
wheat is profitable crop. even in the
western counties of the state, where
the annual rain fall does not exceed
fifteen to twenty inches.
However, the methods of growing
the crop are crude. Often the West
ern farmer plants so many acres that
he is unable to farm the land we'll,
and the result is poor crop, if the
season is at all unfavorable.
Some farmers, however, are adopt
ing better methods. Enough good
farming has been done to prove that it
pays to cultivate and till the land well.
Mr.. H. w. Campbell reported remark
able results from practice of his sys-
tenn of culture on the Pomeroy model
farm, in Graham county, Kansas.
For sereval years this farm was made
to produce twice as much wheat per
acre as the average crop in the sur
country. with on other treat
ment of the soil except thorough till
age and cultivation.
At the Fort Hays Branch experiment
station, in Ellis county, enough has
been accomplished, in the ten seasons
since that station was established, to
demonstrate that in the semi-arid |
West good farming pays as well or
even better than it does in the rich
farming states of the Mississippi val
ley.
Emmer.
Emmer has proved to be especially |
hardy and drouth-resistant, and in the
Northwestern states this grain has
given greater yields per acre than bar
ey or oats. However, at the Fort
Hays station, in Western Kansas, en-
ner has not proved as hardy and pro-
luctive as barley and oats. AS feed
ammer will hardly take the place of
barley and oats, but it may be ground
and fed in combination with these
grains or with corn. Wherever barley
,r oats produce we'll emmer is not an
profitable crop to grow. but
n those sections of the West in which
he grains mentioned cannot be sue
,essfully grown, emmer may prove to
De profitable crop.
Barley.
Barley is successfully grown in Kan
as farther west than any other spring
.rain. In fact, barley is produced in
arger quantities in the western coun-
les of Kansas than in the central and
.astern counties. The counties pro-
ucing the largest number of bushels
n 1900 were as follows: Pawnee,
Barton, Ness, Rush, Thomas, Pratt
nd Hodgman. Each Of these counties
over $50, 900 bushels of bar
ey in the year mentioned.
Winter Rye.
Another crop that grows success
ully in western Kansas is winter rye.
his crop, however, is not grown as
as barley, and is appar-
ntly a less profitable crop to grow
han wheat.-Dry Farming Bulletin.