Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-05-05

standard variety the yield can be in
creased ten bushels per acre in a
few years, seasons and fertility being
equal. Often carelessness in this inn
portant point makes a resort to a
change of seed as a remedy. Breed
ing grains is like breeding horses or
any other kind of stock. If scrubs
are as good why buy quality and high
priced ones? Ask some of the poul-
try men of Pomeroy. they will tell
you. Many farmers who own fam
ming mills run the grain through as
fast as the capacity of the mill will
take it, never thinking of the quality
of the work done. The same in
treating the grain against smut, the
farmers great destructive pest and
robber.
No Hard and Fast Dry Farming Sys-
tenn.
l note Mr.. Howell and Mr.. Yen
ney condemn the methods and theor-
les recommended by the professors
for the retention of moisture through
the summer months, which Mr.. How
ell says causes the soil to run to-
gether when it rains, and | expect
from their experiences they are right
in that respect. To prevent it, a
pipe line should be constructed from
the clouds to the earth with the low
er end sunk in the ground so that
the water would run in below and
keep the top dry as shown in those
glass tubes on the demonstration
train. Very simple in theory but
very hard in practice when the top
soil gets wet first. But are Mr..
Howell land Mr.. Yenney quite sure
they thoroughly understand the sys-
tenn they have been trying to work
out. The system followed by Camp
| bell is no doubt right in very dry
countries where the soil is of a more
sandy nature, but needs some modi-
tication in other sections-this for
one. The subsoil or under soil, and
also the upper soil packing system is
as old as the Chinaman and is ad-
aptable to all countries under suit
able conditions, and is an aid in crop
production when rightly and timely
applied, but is not the main factor
| by a good deal alone.
Soil Fertility Foundation.
Fertility with moisture is by far
the main factor in all crop produc-
ton the world over under proper
management and cultivation A
farmer must understand the COM
bination if he wishes to attain and
retain proficiency and success to the
fullest extent. But | think Mr.. How
all and others can remember the time
that yearly crops We're produced
when the soil was full of decayed
roots and did not run together, and
instead of keeping up that supply of
humus and fertility from the sur
plus the land has produced after
yielding up the grain, a part of it has
been recklessly destroyed, burnt, or
wasted in one way or another. The
absence of these ingredients of ma
ture makes the soil run together and
wash more easily with rapid thawing
weather and heavy rains through the
winter and spring, when tons upon
tons are carried away and can never
be replaced or the land restored to
| its former rich, fertile condition. To
continue in this reckless, wasteful
manner, it is only a matter of tim e
for farming to become Improbable,
| because of a costly system having to
| be adopted to keep in the business.
A great part of California, the Will
lamette valley and other rich grain
growing sections have been ruined
and many farmers in the state of
! Washington are observing and &C
knowledging that its lands are per-
ceptibly going the same way.
! Conservation Methods Must Come
1t has always been so under a
reckless, wasteful, exploitation sys-
TEN. Our presidents and heads of
government may urge the conserva-
ton of the national resources until
they are speechless for all the re-
suits they will obtain, if farmers do
not comprehend the meaning of
these terms and take action upon
their advice and suggestion.
If the land is not the main source
of support and supply of existence,
what is it? Taft, among other things,
says these very words in his message
to congress: Direct the activities
of the government to conserving and
! improving agricultural lands and
strengthen the confidence of capt.
tai"
Such words need no lawyer or