Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1911-10-20
\ sHAI, WE PRACTICE DRY
FARMING WHEN THERE
Is PLENTY OF RAIN?
(By j. H. Worst.)

The question is sometimes raised,
"Shall we practice dry farming when
there is plenty Of rain7" Most as
suredly. The time to conserve mois-
ture is when there is moisture to con-
serve. A farmer remarked to me the
other day, ct have got the moisture
on my farm down to depth of more
than three feet, already" That far
mer's idea is exactly right. He is
conserving moisture now for the next
years crop while his neighbors are
allowing the moisture that has recent
" fallen in abundance to go its usual
way, according to the laws of chance.
Next spring his neighbors will plant
their wheat and other small grain and
depend upon the clouds to furnish the
moisture as the grain may need it.
The farmer will get just as much rain
from the clouds as they and will, in
addition, have large quantity of wat
er stored up in the sub-soil to nourish
the crop. Should a dry spell occur
during the growing season. And that
dry spell is very apt to come. l will
venture that this particular farmer
will have big crop next year, whe-
ther his neighbors do or not. If they
have a big crop he will get bigger
crop.
1t has been fully demonstrated that
considerable portion Of the rainfall
of any one year can be conserved and
carried over, in the soil, for the bene-
fit of the next years crop. Where the
average rainfall is IS inches, it should
be an easy matter to cary four or five
inches of autumn rainwater over the
winter for next seasons crop -Four
inches of water represents approx
mately $50 tons of moisture per acre,
a sufficient quantity to nourish the
growing crop during weeks of pro-
tracted drought.
I am convinced that by means of
suitable cultivation, which includes
deep blowing the boyle of drought will
be forever dispelled in this state.
There is absolutely no necessity for a
single crop failure in North Dakota
on account Of drought. The FAULT is
not with tie soil nor With the climate
Tor with the plants: it is With our
system of farming. AS long as we ap-
ply humid methods to semi-arid condi-
tions, we may expect repeated crop
failures, or partial failures that will
materially lessen the profits which far
mers should realize from their bust
ness.
It requires approximately seven dol
lars per ace to grow a crop. This in
cludes interest on investment, cost of
seed, wear and tear of farm machin-
cry, labor, etc. By adding one add,
tional dollars worth Of labor to each
acre, there is little question but that
the average profits would be doubled
In other words, as much profit should
be realized from the one additional dol
lars worth of labor as is now realiz
ed from the seven dollars worth of un
avoidable labor and investment. Con
sequently, if farmers would devote
one-third Of their land to the growing
Of corn and alfalfa, neither Of which
interferes with the time and labor EN-
ployed in farming wheat, and put one
third more labor, thus made available
on only two-thirds as many asres o.
wheat, they woull grow more whea
than where thew spread sheir energie
over the one thi:d larger area TIL
corn and alfalfa fell 10 live stool
WOulu lHSulG Lltclu u 1aISc dAulIIOuo
income, and ono shat is not often ad
versely Influenced by climatic condi
tions, while the fertility deposited up
on the farm re;',l ing from feeding til,
corn and alfalfa to livs stock woul
vastly improve the productiveness o
the soil. Corn and alfalfa usually ca
be attended to when wheat needs n
care, thus distributing the labor NOR
equitably throughout the season.
Another thing, shock threshiug i
generally bad business, for the reaso
that all cannot thresh at once whe
the grain is ready for the machine
consequently, all who cannot TIRES
early stand good chance Of havin
their grain injured in the shock an
also are hinderod from blowing early
many of them being compelled to pos
pone blowing operations until the fc
lowing spring. Better to STACK til
grain as soon as tit and start the pillow
Plow dee pand follow the plow wit
a drag. The drag will conserve NOR
moisture than will get into the 80
from melting SLOWS. Besides, waite
thus conserved is where it is needle
instead Of on the surface where it vi
speedily evaporate.