The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-01-21
DRY FARM CONGRESS
Much Objection Made to Term at
Recent Billings Conference.
Conveys Idea Of Farming Under High.
Iy Disasreeable Conditions and
Conveys Nothing az to What
ls Necessary.

| Conveys Nothing as to What
ls Necessary.
| Recognition of the fact that the
term dry farming" is unfortunate and
| misleading was brought out at the re-
cent Dry Farming congress held at
I Billings. Mont, when Gov. Norris Of
Montana gave 1t hard rap, and was
| followed by Louis w. Hill Of the Great
Northern. who pointed ont that the
use of the term dry farming" con-
Veyed an idea of farming under condi.
tons highly Objectionable. and that
dry farming under that name is do
ing more harm than good. But the
most serious objection to the name
was that it relates to symptom
rather than cure. 1t conveys moth
| ing as to what is needed to carry on
agriculture In the dry country. In
| fact 1t was evident that almost any
thing and everything passes under
the name of dry farming. But as no
body could suggest any name that
would be better. the name will con-
! tinue.
But as to just what to do to make
farming profitable in the dry land re-
gion, there was much discussion
among the farmers present. Secretary
| Wilson sent letter in which he ex-
pressed some views not entertained
by the mass of those who attended.
| He reiterated his well-known view as
| to the ineff1ciency of cultural methods
| in solving the dry land problem and
| REQUIRED again to the necessity for
| either importing or developing new
| plants and varieties suited to dry re-
| gions. He denounced openly the sys-
| tenn Of cropping every other year, or
the use of the summer fallow. and in
| dicated that instead of doing this the
farmers should grow clovers and sim
liar plants and fill the subsoil with
plant roots as the basis for humus.
/ That this view was not shared by
| the pillow farmers was shown when
there was the heartiest applause of
| the congress for Hardy W. Campbell,
when he vigorously defended the
farmers and declared that in this mat
ter the secretary did not know what
he was talking about. Campbell is
| himself one of the plain farmers and
| what he has gained has been by work
out in the fields without any govern
ment aid or encouragement. He is
| sometimes called the father of dry
| farming" and he was certainly the
hero of the day at Billings, for the
70 cd thn in
convention and packed the institute
hall when Campbell stood up for three
| hours and talked of farm experiences
| and answered questions as to tillage
| and soil culture methods AS fur
Their tribute to the fact that by and
through tillage great things are really
being done, the winner of the James
J. Hill silver cup for the finest district
display, presented the cup to Mr..
| Campbell in recognition of his emf
nent services in pointing out the way
| to make success of farming in dry
regions. The minister of agriculture
for Alberta also put himself on rec
ord as in direct opposition to the view
entertained at Washington by stating
in substance that until the tillage
method of dry farming was adopted
in Alberta they were pretty much in
the dark, but now they are making
wonderful strides.
| AS matter of fact there was no
room at the congress for any discus
sion as to the merits of tillage meth
DDS in producing results in the dry
country. 1t may that. as Secretary
Wilson has said. the system is wrong
and will result in depletion Of the soil
fertility, but the experience of vet
eran farmers at the congress was to
the contrary and every actual farmer
who reported any progress whatever
in his farm operations reverted to the
methods of tillage and cultivation as
the basis Of his success.
There has been an impression
abroad that the farmers have tried to
fix some absolute rule as to farm
methods for the dry country. This is
not true. The best thought is direct.
ed toward general principles of tiliage
and the soil conditions to be secured
Use any method" said Mr.. Campbell
to the congress. do the work in any
way. make use Of any tool or nipple
ment or device. All insist on is that
the farmer know what soil conditions
are necessary to bring about the re
suits he desires and that he shall &c
by the most direct route to obtain
those conditions. It Is the physica
condition Of the soil at seeding time
and maintained throughout the grow
ing period that Is essential, rather
than any regular system followed ii
getting it."
This idea does not preclude that O.
making use Of new crops, of seed ans
! plant selection, of rotation and of add
ing humus to the soil by well recog
nized means; but It does insist tina
) first and above all else there must b,
little different and little bette
tillage Of the soil than prevails else
where.
Peas on Dry Land.
Little or nothing has been sal,
about the pea crop under dry LAM
farming conditions, for the reasol
that 1t has been but little grown
!. But It will certainly succeed II drille'
{ in rows and cultivated. and very prof.
9 ably It win succeed when sown Il
J. the ordinary way. One strong argu
9 ment in favor Of growing It in row
n will be found In the amount Of mois