davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12

is going to waste every year TO insure
good crops in Texas. Mr.. Kone also be-
lieves that dry farming adds annually
70 the value of the land, conserving the
moisture.
Dry farming is not new" said COM
missioner Kone who is at the Gunter
hotel He is accompanied by J. W. Neiil,
who has assisted in the organization OF
the farmers institutes. Both OF them
will make addresses at the meeting of the
Bexar County Farmers institute at the
chamber of commerce this afternoon
at 2 o'clock. Continuing the discussion
Of dry farming, Mr.. Kone said:
1T has been practiced by the German
farmers for many centuries. Campbell
emphasized it in this country by calling
attention to its advantages and IT has
continued TO spread in favor
Il am preaching IT in all parts of
Texas. especially in south and southwest
Texas. There is enough rainfall every
year to insure abundant crops II the
moisture is properly conserved
The farmers should be taught TO real
lie this and if they will follow directions
there will no longer be yearly 'hoIIer'
about lack of rain. It IS not the lack OF
rain that is the matter, but it Is the fact
that dry farming is not more generally
practiced.'
Commissioner Kone has been organtz-
ing institutes all over west Texas dur
ing the last two weeks and says that he
finds Fhe farmers every where greatly
interested in scientific farming. They
have seen what can be ACCOMPLISHED
by 1t and are willing TO give it trial
The farmers Institutes now have
II membership Of several Thousand In the
state and the membership is constantly
growing.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
Pumping For Irrigation In
the Sulphur Springs Valley

the best last season. and that he will
reap a harvest of 200 bushels to the acre
this year. His crop is now about ready
to come up, having been planted II days
tomatoes produced a bountiful crop I'M
der the encoura cement OF irrigation,
and he now has in his cold frames
thousands Of plants to set out on
large piece Of ground which he has
irrigated this week. Sweet potatoes are
also getting ready for setting out, with
lettuce, onions, and other vegetables COM
ing on nicely. Asparagus especially last
season was a profitable crop, and Tur-
vey figures on a heavy harvest TINS
spring
The Irrigation Method.
Once a piece of ground is well soaked
by irrigation he closes the ditch gates,
and turns the flow OF water onto another
section. When the top soil mas dried out
a bit he harrows and works this over
lightly, TO prevent baking, and to pull
verize and dry out the top SOIL whlch
then stops evaporation.
Undersoil irrigated in the potato
field. when turned up with the space,
shows moisture sufficient TO sustain the
young plants for at least three weeks,
when another flood of water Will De
turned over the field When the rainy
season comes his crops will be strong
and sturdy and irrigation will not then
be necessary The drilling of the well
and the purchase of the engine and
pump represent an outlay of about
$500, and from the potatoes alone TINS
year Turyey believes he will garner
sum not less than $4,000.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
DEEDS GIVEN FOR
EXPERIMENT FARM
New Well to Be Put Down
For Station at Pecos.
Texas.

Pecos, Texas, March 12-Dr H H
Harrington, director Of experiment sta
lions. is in Pecos, and has received the
deeds for the lands to be used for ex-
perimental purposes. j. H Moore deed
ed 80 acres. which he had formerly do
mated to the state for this purpose,
and NJ L SWinehart, as trustee for the
people, decided 120 acres.
Because Of an accident to the casing
in the artesian well, on the farm, a
new well will be sunk Immediately. The
water from this well will be used for
demonstrations in irrigation work, and
a pumping plant will be maintained
on the lands given by Mr.. Moore.
The residence for the superintendent
will be erected at once, and DR.. Har-
rington says that all crops will be
planted which will be permitted by the
lateness of the season.
Certain acreage will be broken dur
ing the spring and summer. and a dem
onstration made Of the conservation OF
moisture IN the soil, by practical and
modern methods.
1t is expected to plant 40 acres 70
variety of fruits and bulletins will be
issued by the state upon their growth
and production under different condi-
tons
This station will prove OF much value
to the agricultural population. so rapid
" locating iP the lower Pecos and
Toyah valleys.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12

Washington, D. c.. March 12--Prof.
Milton Whitney. backed by the machin-
cry OF the government bureau OF soils
is conducting the most important work
for agricultural development that has
been undertaken within recent years
He IS furnishing information TO the set
tiers who are now pouring by tens OF
thousands into the great dry west OF
the 1OOth meridian region hitherto
deemed hopeless for farming purposes.
but rendered highly productive through
the development OF new methods
This has reference particularly to
what is known as dry farming" by
which the bulk of the vast territory
formerly known as the great American
desert is destined eventually TO be
brought under profitable tillage- Dur
ing the last year Prof. Whitney has
made reconnaissance surveys or soils
covering over g. 900 square miles in the
belt Immediately TO the west Of the
aforesaid meridian. the data obtained
being shown by small scale maps. on
which important facts are given as to
the character of lands, the percentage
Of these available for agriculture. and
other matters respecting which set
tiers seeking new homes are in need
OF information.
Acreage and Water supply.
IT appears that our 1000. 600. 900 acres
OF territory might easily sustain 2.OOO.-
000 600 people IN the course OF time
so far as land is concerned; but the
limitations of population in the United
States is really set by the water sup
ply. One might say that il takes just
about so much water to maintain one
human being-this amount being es-
timated at 5000 tons annually. OF
course the great bulk of 1t is required
10 grow the meat and food plants on
which the individual subsists.
The discovery of methods by which
the arid plains can be successfully
farmed adds greatly to the capacity OF
the country for supporting population;
but the time will never arrive when
more than 750. 1000. 900 people viii he
able to live within the present bound
aries of the Utited States. and 1t may
be that the number will not exceed
500, 600. 900.
The total annual water supply Of
the country Call OF ii derived from
rain and snow) is reckoned at 1900
cubic miles-about equal TO 10 Miss
issippi rivers. But 100000 square
miles of our territory { greater area
than Phoenicia. Babylonia. Egypt.
Palestine. Italy Spain. Portugal.
France. Germany. Denmark Scanda-
navia. and the United KingdOm-all
the countries which have shaped the
worlds history combined) are insult
ciently watered and can be made fully
haoitable only by careful use OF the
scanty supply.
Good Lands Overlooked.
On the other hand. chiefly in the
South Atlantic and the Gulf states,
there is a great reserve of exceedingly
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
Science OF Dry Farming How To Do 1t Successfully

Is heavy it is worth while to disk this
with sharp disk to mix the straw some
what with the soil, then pillow from six
to seven inches deep. follow pillow with
a subsurface packer well weighted;
then the Acme harrow or two times over
with the common steel or smoothing
harrow The subsurface is vital 10 8
good crop. 1t not only crowds out the
air spaces but packs the soil closely
about the straw stubble which will aid
its decomposition thus increasing nj
trates and humus.
Regarding the increase of a spring
crop put in on spring blowing by disk
ing in the spring before blowing. it de-
ponds on the condition OF the land in the
spring and the weather during the pc
Rod of fitting. If blowing is done early
while soil is moist and the soil is of ir-
binary sand loan formation there would
be very little difference If blowing was
later and in warm dry, windy weather
there would be some considerable differ
ence in favor of disking.
If good rains followed close TO plow-
ing and narrowing followed rain as
soon as dry enough no difference Of ac-
count would be noticeable. These con-
illusions are based on the theory that
the land is well fitted. Disking in the
spring where blowing Is to follow close
has no such advantage as disking after
the harvester In case Of spring disking
the soil is cold and there is no chance
of promoting nitrification and evapora-
ton would be less. while disking after
the harvester if there Is any moisture
below you not only save the moisture
but by checking the evaporation, causes
the moisture to accumulate just beneath
the loose mulch and with the high de-
gree of temperature dn the SOIL nltrlrl-
cation or roofing soon begins.
If blowing is to be delayed any great
period then by all means disk early
we have known instances were corn was
planted with a lister and part OF the
field was double disked early. the bal
ance untouched until listed. where the
disked part made % bushels OF corn
more than the undisked. all after treat
ment being the same for the whole
field.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12

Douglas, Ariz., March Thorough
tests of the gas engine and the CENTRUM
gal pump for irrigation purposes are to
be made in the Sulphur Springs valley
adjacent to Douglas during the forth
coming season but there is one man
who has already demonstrated the FEAST
bility of irrigation by these means.
George Turvey is the man, and his
ranch home is located just above the
Calumet and Arizona smelter, to the west
Of the city, and distant from it about
four miles.
Turyey has drilled d well which is
300 feet deep. At this lepth he struck
a flow of water which rose to a point
within 26 feet Of the surface. He then
Installed a three and a half inch CEN
trifugal pump. which is operated by a
belt, running down to the pump, at wa
ter level, the engine one of six horse
power.
Turvey burns gasoline in his engine.
and finds. that ii costs him On a run of
q hours S1.35. He has succeeded in ir-
rigating % acres. and he is cultivating
the ground according to the rules laid
down by the scientific farmers of the
southwest
Pump Doesn't Reduce Flow.
The pump is able 10 make no impress
sion upon the flow of water in the
well. so that Turyey does not know Just
what size pump could be used to carry
rhe flow to his crops. but it is evident
that q much larger pump could be en-
Moved At the speed he runs his en-
CINE. he is pumping about $50 gallons
of wafer per minute. The flow is suf-
ffcient TO irrigate one acre per day
when the ground is especially dry, blu
when well leveled off mad ridged, and
not TOO dry. he irrigates about thre'
acres per day
while everybody was talking abou
pump irrigation last season. Turvey wa!
Quietly experimenting, and actually
growing fine crops. He planted fiv'
acres in potatoes, raised two crops il
the season. and sold them for cent.
a pound, in Douglas, rate of $50 &
bushel. He grew $50 bushels TO the acre
He claims that his seed was not o,
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
KONE IS NOW A
"DRY FARMER"
State Agricultural Commits
siOner Is a Convert to
- the Cause.

Says the San Antonio Express:
Dry Farming" Is the text which Ed
r. Kone, commissioner of agriculture of
Texas. is preaching TO the farmers of
the state at every institute he organizes
He is making this especially emphatic
in south and west Texas
He is convinced that enough moisture
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
? & > = = = j. , = = + = = r p + =
3 ADyANTAG ES OF DISkING. 4
T. Kansas Farmer.
3 3 = = = = = =. = = = 4. = + = = Z

Hundreds OF farmers can this year
testify TO the advantages resulting from
the disking of the fields before listing
corn. Nearly 10 years ago this editor
farmed In Brown county. knows the
common practice of getting into the
corn ground with disk just as the frost
was out of the ground and disking
lengthwise and crosswise and from cor
ner to corner until time for listing.
These farmers claimed the work paid
and no doubt IL did. The disking cut the
same time covering the moisture put 1t
In shape to take up the moisture and at
in the ground. Last winter through the
farmers institute system the plan was
recommended and farmers who gave this
plan tof cultivation trial are pleased
with the results
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
RENE BACHE'S BUDGET
HELPING NEW SETTLERS
GREAT AMERICAN DESERT VANISHING FROM
THE MAP.
People Rushing Into the Dry Belt Formerly Deemed
Hopeless for Agriculture the Governments
Doing to Help Them Mapping the Great Pliah
for the New Agriculture Men Who Are Doing the
Work

fertile agricultural lands, capable OF
supporting $4,000. 900 people, but which
today are unOccupied and unused sim
ply because they are liable to overflow.
In the not distant future, by drainagt
and other devices for controlling their
water supply. they will be converted
into productive farming areas. yield
ing enormous crops under intensive"
treatment First. however. before TN
dertaking drainage operations on
large scale, it viii be necessary to
study their soils, in order to estimate
the profit likely 10 accrue from their
reclamation.
Annual Production.
The annual production of the soils
OF the United States has trebIed in the
last II years. and has reached the
enormous total of eight billion dol.
lars But Prof Whitney thinks that ii
may easily be doubled again in the
next Is years. through the study OF
soils In Alabama. by such a study,
conducted on experimental farms in the
various congressional districts, IL has
been shown to be possible without DIFF
fculty. by procuring the right variety
of cotton for each Of the different soil
types of the state. TO increase the
profit Of the cotton grower by $40 to
$50 per acre
The specialization OF agriculture has
only just begun. 1t IS destined with
in the next few years to UNDERGO a
scientific and rapid development. Even
pow inquiries are constantly addressed
20 the bureau OF soils in regard 10
soil conditions under which specific
crops may be successfully grown; and
crops formerly confined to narrow dis
tricts are spreading to other localities
Alfalfa Culture
The culture of alfalfa. the production
Of sugar beets. and the introduction Of
new varieties OF tobacco all illustrate
this tendency
In tobacco growing wrapper soils
! and filler soils are already set apart
from each other.
Through the study OF soils it viii
be possible at a future day (Prot
Whitney believes) to increase the great
staple crops from a scant dozen TO
several score. each produced under the
, circumstances of soil and climate best
suited 10 its growth The problem in
I hand is TO determine the crop to which
each soil is best adapted, and TO de-
, velop systems of farm management by
which the different soils may be made
! to yield their crops for long periods
not only without deteriOrating but with
actual increase OF crop producing
power
Many Kinds of Soils.
There are more than 700 different
kinds of soils in the United States. ac-'
cording to the observations ofethe bu-
reau Some OF therl occur IN areas
as big as the smaller states: and these
are others of which no single area
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12


soil culture.
Illustrations at Home.
He took examples obtained right here
on the edge of the city TO illustrate his
remarks and his talk was made without
any OF the frills or embellishments. That
the so or more farmers Were highly in
teresied was made evident by their fire.
quent Interruptions with questions that
brought out their miSconception of the
principles, and that offered the speaker
the opportunity of emphasizing his
points all the more The good work done
at this meeting has instilled into the To-
cal farmers the desire to meet often and
exchange ideas and knowledge, and eff
forts will be made 10 get outside people
preferably agricultural experts from
either the state department or the de-
partment of agriculture at Washington
to make addresses and demonstrations
With a normal rainfall at Del Rio OF
% inches and with fertile soil. there is
no reason TO doubt the dry farned acre
age will be increased and production en-
larged as the seasons come and GO
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12

Following answers to questions that
every farmer in this part of the coun-
try ought to know, are reprinted from
Campbelrs Scientific Farmer; the an
swers are all made by Mr. Campbell
himself
CULTIVATION OF CORN.
To the Editor:
1 should like to have some particulars
through the Scientific Farmer about the
cultivation Of corn. Is level culture rec
commended? With what kind of cultiva-
tor mainly?
I have been using a disk cultiTator-
# can be supplied with shovels-which
is very effectual with weeds and in
breaking up crusts, but its final re-
suits seems to be to throw UP the soil
to the corn. / cannot but believe that
this practice helps 10 deplete the soil
moisture
There is much said nowadays about
late cultivation OF corn to destroy weeds
and maintain a mulch. How late ought
cultivation to go on? Acclimated corn is
One OF our main hopes for New Mexico,
but If one leaves off cultivation when
The corn begins to tassel the weeds grow
I'D thick and high and must take much
moisture / do not list my corn
J. H c.
Wagon Mound N NJ Jan. T. 1909.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
Gainsboro, Sask-

Anewer-We would nor pillow again
and subpack, would seed after first go
ing over with Acme harrow or a sim
liar tool, If you have no such 1901 then
harrow with cmlnon steel lever harrow
with teeth quite straight up and down
unless soil IS very soft, then slant teeth
back a little and harrow two or three
times Tramping of horses viii help
firm the soil It is desirable to DO
this when soil is moist Seed 25 to so
percent heavier on spring blowing than
on summer titled land.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12

Answer-Level cultivation is desirable
with any cultiTator. Carrying three or
four cultivators on q side level culture
can be effected. Sometimes crust viii
form under the mulch il hot dry wealth
er and lax cultivation. The disk attach
ment wiz be found useful but follow
soon with shovels set TO level the sur
face Cultivate corn until the crop is
rnade You can use a one horse five
shovel or II shovel cultivation when
corn is too high for a rider Keep out
che weeds, don't let the crust form un-
der the mulch. Acclimatization of corn
means much.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
+ r r = 4. p y p = + r + + = + + 3
RECIAIMING THE WEST. 3
Desert Farmer. =
+ + + = = !. y !. = = + = = p ,

In many of the counties of Utah where
a Few years ago there thrlved the sage
brush and the long horned steer, thou-
sands of acres are being reclaimed oY
dry farming methods Utah's dry farm
wheat can not be exceieG and an acre
Of our cheap land is equal to two or
three acres of the $50 lands farther
east.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
SEEDING ON SUMNER FALLOw.

SEEDING On SUMMER fALLOW.
To the Editor:
came here late last fall and there
WAS q little summer following done
doubled disked first. then plowed and
narrowed and then flcated by attaching
three planks together, u feet long and
smoothing and somewhat packing the
ground Would you seed II as ii is or
would you advise blowing in the spring
and subpacking according to the Camp
bell SYSTEM Do you advise seeding
same amount per acre on spring blowing
and subpacking as you would on sum-
ruer titled land. Soil is dark brown
heavy land. some sand in ii in places.
When It gets dry it gets very hard. but
5ust right works like garden AS TO
rain we had a wet May last year and
part of June-a shower or two in July
and then virtually no more all fall Wet
season is usually in June and July
D. 3.
Gainsboro. Sask.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12

Answer-The piece plowed. rolled and
narrowed in the autumn should be har
rowed this spring as soon as it can be
done and have soil in best condition,
that is. moist. not wet on top. Acme har-
row preferred. Then seed with drill put
ting seed just into the firm moist soil
under the mulch.
II the straw on the hailed out piece
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
KEEPING DOWN WEEDS.

To the Editor:
/ have farmed for two years in west
ern Oklahoma, but on account OF ex-
frerne drouth have raised nothing but
a little feed AS nay crops were all feed
crops this year II was the middle of o.
+ober before I could get them off the
ground so I could start disking. 1 ex-
meet 20 summer till 40 acres for wheat
next fall. I double disked the ground in
October. Have had heavy rains since,
SO there are Is 10 IS inches Of moist
ure-
rowing as soon as dry enough. or would
that cause 1t TO blow2 The soil is a lit
tle sandy.
Can a person keep the weeds down
with the harrow or will Il be best to
disk IN June2 There viii be lots of
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12

Answer-f the soil is quite sandy
double disk in spring but don't set disk
over TO full cut, possibly two-thirds to
three-fourths. Common harrow will not
keep the weeds down when the season
gets well advanced and soil warmed.
Don't let the weeds grow If you even
have to disk again. Narrowing will do
much TO keep them out If you don't let
the weeds get too large
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
EARLY DISKING.

EAFtLI bIShINUs
To the Editor:
We had a hailstorm here before I got
quite through cutting my grain. The
part that I cut 1 got nearly all plowed.
I pulled a corrugated roller behind the
pillow and an Acme harrow behind the
roller. The soil was moist What further
fitting would you suggest for this piece
OF ground?
The piece that got hailed out has the
straw on it yet as it grew II will be
moist
How much greater crop do you think
We would get here If we would disk our
ground in the spring before blowing for
spring wheat Please answer the above
question fully
Do you think fall wheat would do
we'll here?
W. w. s.
Lansford. y. D
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
Some Pointers From H. w. Campbell

Russian thistles and tumble weeds to
contend with.
a. 7. R
Hidalgo, Okla
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12

Continued on Page III
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12
Illustrations at Home.

soil and the better methods of scientific
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12

Wagon Mound. n. NJ. Jan. 4, 1908
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12

There are more than 700 different
kinds of soils in the United States. ac-'
cOrding to the observations of~the bu-
reau. Some OF thera occur IN areas
as big as the smaller states; and these
are others of which no single area
continued on Pagessz4l
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-12

On the other hand chiefly in the
South Atlantic and the Gulf states
there is a great reserve of exceedingly