The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-08-11

~ CHAMPLlN, South pako-
=" Agricultural ColleEe5 anu
Ihere is nothing new ur,o. -,
oun IN the United States, in recent
years there has been much valuable
work done toward retaining or more
properly toward opening for m,vad
.di 'iing purposes all that magnificent
~" vi the plains that lies between
'ne loOth meridian ard the Roclv
mountains. This territory includes
,he western half of the Dakotas Ne.
oraska Kansas, Oklahoma and Tevoe
as well as the eastern part of Mon,
Jana. wyoming, Colorado and New
meHico' Then. too, there are MANY
,ertile valleys and table lands Of the
ROCKY mountain region that win lend
themselves encouragingly to this sys.
TEN of farming.
anyone who lives along the lines Of
railroad that lead to the various rep,s.
tratlon points and has seen train AFT.
er train of seven to nine coaches Allied
WIN earnest homeseekers who are
looking for farm of their own in the
newly opened reservations will not
neeu to be told that there is a need
iof dry FARMING. The population of
the entire world has been increasing
oy leaps and bounds during the past
century since the Improvement in
medical and surgical science as well
as the improved conditions in life
nave made 1t possible for a much high.
er per cent of the children born to
reach maturity and old age Europe
mas settled America, Australia. many
Islands OF the sea and much of Afri
ca during this brief hundred years and
sui there are more than double the
people there than were extant l0C
years ago. 1t has become necessary
then to find new means of support. tc
develop hitherto barren lands. and tr
conserve in every way the resources
about us, Dry farming is one of these
developments. While It is new in the
United States. 1t has been practiset
Tor ages In certain parts of the worlt
and much has been done in the way o.
developing drought resistant plants
and In finding methods of tillage Il
hold the scanty moisture for the ust
of crops As quoted at the beginning
there is nothing new under the sun
| ana ! wish to say at the outset tina
when the Algerians are cultivating tn,
sand dunes of the Sahara desert
when the Arabs are raising abundan
crops of dates and grapes and Olives
In their own rugged peninsula, whel
the Russians Of the east are supply
Ing large part of Europe with whea
and rye from their semi-arid steppes
when thousands of Americans are a
ready at work upon their dry farms
that with the advantages Of moderl
American machinery at our dispose
there is no reason why the semi-ari,
portion of the great plains area can
not be utilized as a mixed farming
country.
Moisture is the great need; moist
ure conservation the great problem. Il
a large part Of this territory sufficien
rain falls every year to raise GRO
II It can be saved from the sun an
wind, In an equally large portion O
the territory It has been found profit
able to fallow the land one year an
thus save moisture for the crop of tn
following year The rainfall to yer
large extent comes In the form of Il
cal showers. Some townships Will b
visited by abundant showers Will
their neighbors on each side may b
parched. A large percentage, In fac
nearly all OF the rainfall In this RI
gion comes when II is needed mos
in the months of May, June and tn
first half OF July Hence, rainfall c
IA inches in this section where haI
of II comes In the form of snow an
runs into the rivers In early sprint
The snowfall is normally very ligf
and the wild grasses that cure on tn
ground during the crisp autumn day
furnish excellent pasturage.