The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-09-30

Dry Farming

| Inefe are vast areas OF arid and
semiarid land in the western and
northwestern state that are being
| brought under agricultural develop
| ment by the two systems of irrigation
and dry farming. The general gov
ernment is spending millions of dol
| lars in Montana and other states in
| the construction of vast irrigation
, works that will reclaim millions of
acres Of fertile agricultural lands that
| only need water to yield golden har
vests of the earth's most valuable
products.
There are immense districts of
| western lands where the rainfall is
! iml3eQ1ate for annual crop produc-
| lAui., ana yet the land is fertile and
easy Of cultivation. Agricultural
experiment stations have been farm
ing these lands with the object Of
evolving a system by which they
could be made valuable for agricul-
tural purposes. 1t has been demon
strated that land under deep cultiva-
tion abSorbS more water than un-
broken land seeded to grass. Deep
plowing prevents the water from run
ming off and more easily conserves it
for the season of drought. 1t pro-
vides more feeding space for plant
roots and liberates greater quantity
OF plant food.
1t is also demonstrated that land
under cultivation loses but small
amount of water by evaporation, pro-
viding the surface is maintained with
fine mulch. Keeping the surface
soil finely titled decreases the volume
of evaporation and enables the plant
roots to make available the moisture
stored in the SOIL
1t is not possible to obtain normal
crops every year under the present
system of dry farming Alternate
season the land needs to be summer
fallowed. This improves the fineness
Of the soil, kills noxious weeds and
conserves the rainfall for the follow
ing years crop. In districts where
the rainfall is only fifteen inches an
nually the system of summer fallow-
| ing makes available the moisture Of
two seasons for one years crop. The
rainfall on titled soil penetrates be-
low the cultivated depth and encour-
ages deep root growth of the indigen-
Gus crop.
1t is necessary to add organic mat
ter to the soil to increase the humus
and absorbing properties Of the land
under cultivation. On summer fall
lowed land the moisture of fifteen
inch rainfall penetrates as deep as
six feet and is available for alfalfa
and other leguninous plants. The
best organic matter is stable manure
and clover turned under, as they add
nitrogen, humus and porosity to the
soil.
The principal object of summer
following is to conserve water in the
subsoil, which is Of greater advantage
TO crops than moisture near the sur
face. The protection Of crops against
drought is in proportion to the water
available in the subsoil as an inch of
rainfall will not penetrate below the
surface mulch and is soon evaporated.
Live stock industry should be followed
in conjunction with dry farming
Ex.
Ernest Avery, a young lad, met
with a narrow escape last evening
while riding q horse. He was coming
down Quincy street when two dogs
ran out and frightened the horse.
The boy was not strong enough to
hold it and the horse cut the corner
of 7th and Quincy on the cement
walk, slipping and falling. The boy
received hard fall and narrowly es-
capped being rolled upon by the horse.
AS far as we could learn the boy was
not seriously injured.
Ihe First State Bank of White
Owl started up Monday morning
with the following directors and
officers: Albert Reich, President;
Mr.. Gloege, e-president; John
Weber, cashier; e. J. Spencer, John
Weber, Mrs. Kane, Chas. Ishmae,
W. II. Mullen, Of White Owl, Mr.
Gloege, of Rapid City and c. S.
Blodgett, Of Hermosa, directors.
The Dakota Power Co., have force
OF men at work wiring the works of
the Dakota Plaster Co., at Blackhawk
and will soon be ready to furnish