The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-03-02
ROSS Martin ON
CAMPBELL SYSTEM
OF DRY FARMING


owns a big farm within the confines
Of old Imperial Ward county. demon
strated what could be done in North
Dakota j. a dry year in 1910, By en-
ploying.. Campbell's. dry farming
system. 1t did one good TO listen
to the energetic young farmer talk to
the farmers at the opera house at the
big Campbell meeting held recently.
AS we said previously, Mr.. Martins
wheat grown under the Campbell
system averaged 80 bushels per acre.
His farm doomed UP like a green
oasis in a desert last year, other
crops in that neighborhood being a
had shane from the continued drouth
and hot winds.
Mr.. Martin said: Il think that the
year 1910 was the best year that this
country has ever seen and while 1t
would apparently seem hardship to
some to have a similar season during
the present year, believe it would
prove to the very best thing that could
happen to this country. We may be
on the verge of series of dry years.
Extra work on 4 farm never does any
harm. am here to tell you what
did in North Dakota within the
boundaries Of Imperial Ward. If we
would stay here = week to discuss this
subject, we could not possibly cover
all the points. We have here (mean-
ing Mr.. Campbell, a man who has
spent lifetime studying thi System.
In the first place, let US start to
do our dry farming at harvest time.
On my farm, we use eight foot binders
and follow the cutting Immediately
with an eight foot disc. This covers
all the weeds, and you would be sur
prised to learn what very few weeks
you will find on my farm. Discing
the land as the grain is harvested
forms a mulch and the ground re-
mains in a moist condition so that
when you are ready to do your fall
blowing, it will pillow nice and moist.
You may not think that this moisture
is in the land, but try this method
and you will be surprised. 1t comes
up out of the ground, and is held, there
to be Of use when needed. We
single disced the land and then double
:disced it, to form the mulch. Don't
be afraid to putting Z little work on
your land. Discing the land before
blowing, corks the water up like a
cork in a bottle does.
1--WE don't pillow dry land. The
whole success Of this system depends
upon doing the right thing at the
right time. Produce your conditions.
If you have rain after this discing is
done, the moisture will work down.
Never let the mulch become compact.
Get your land plowed seven inches
deep. Don't try to do this all at once,
but pillow little deeper each time.
Get the soil exposed to the air
''My rule is to pillow till four
o'clock in the afternoon and then
hitch onto sub surface packer. This
corks up the moisture before much
of it has an opportunity to escape.
The packer has wedged shaped
wheels, with open spaces between
the wedge and the hub. This packs
the dirt below tho surface severaf
inches, leaving the fine dust mulch
on top. The loose dirt falls thru the
open space in the wheels, which never
clog up unless the soil is too wet. We
harrow as soon after We pack, rs
possible We harrow after each rain,
but not when the ground Is muddy.
We use the Acme steel lever stating
harrow.
If you want to summer cultivate
your land, that is store up the mois-
ture without attempting to grow .
crop, pillow your land as early a. pos-
sible in the spring, work it with sub
surface packer, and harrow az explain
ed above, narrowing after every rain
to hold the moisture and destroy the
weeds. Your land Is then in condi-
ton for growing fall wheat IL you 70
desire It..
"For growing spring wheat, 10 tried
a bushel to the acre and found 1t
entirely too thick. We SOW about
three pecks now, no more, though.
watched the results of thin ana thick
sowing last year. Sowing thin,
counted fifteen stools to the head with
80 kernels to each stool or $50 ker-
nols to the head. On thick sowing,
counted three stools to the head, 20
kernels to the stool Or 60 kernels.
Note the difference.
Don't expect to get these results
on land out Of condition. because 1t
simply won't stool.
H. -