Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1910-08-19
CROPS FOR DRY FARMING.
Fall-Sown Grains Generally Best for
This Purpose.

SAoP OA q ioi &c PoiI VI Vic i-oAiu
West. 1t is not particularly drouth-
resistant crop, although certain varie-
ties appear to succeed better than
others in the dry districts. The hard
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 and
Bluestem, which are also hard wheats.
The Durum, or Macaroni wheat, is
rapidly coming into use in the North
western states, and it appears to be
harder and more productive than the
ordinary spring wheats. This wheat
was introduced from Russia, where it
has long been grown in a climate and
under conditions similar to those of the
western part of the Northwest states.
1t 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 certain
period, whatever the conditions for
growth may be.
Spring wheat is not well 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 a poor crop, if the
season is at all unfavorable.
: Some farmers, however, are adopt.
ing better methods. Enough goot
farming has been done to prove that il
, pays to cultivate and till the land we'll
Mr.. H. w. Campbell reported remark
able results from practice of his sys
, tenn of culture on the Pomeroy mode
, farm, in Graham county, Kansas
+ For sereval years this farm was made
!. to produce twice as much wheat PEI
! acre as the average crop in the sur
/. rounding 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 hai
been accomplished, in the ten seasons
10 since that station was established, t.
If demonstrate that in the semi-ari'
West good farming pays as well o
even better than it does in the ricl
d. farming states of the Mississippi val
Id ley.
ct Emmer.
In Emmer has proved to be especially
IL hardy and drouth-resistant, and in tn
CO Northwestern states this grain ha
ry given greater yields per acre than bar
IT. ley or oats. However, at the For
Hays station, in Western Kansas, en-
1t. mer has not proved as hardy and pre-
in ductive as barley and oats. AS fee
ng emmer will hardly take the place Q
ly barley and oats, but it may be groun
IN and fed in combination with thes
grains or with corn. Wherever barle
ng or oats produce well emmer is not a
RS. especially profitable crop to grow. br
in those sections of the West in whic
the grains mentioned cannot be SUI
cessfully grown, emmer may prove
~ be profitable crop.
IN Barley.
W. Barley is successfully grown in Kal
Tx sas farther west than any other sprin
ex. grain. In fact, barley is produced
es. larger quantities in the western coul
ou ties of Kansas than in the central al
ho eastern counties. The counties Or