American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-03-18

that. that a wheat crop does not ex-
haust the soil equal to a crop OF
oats. We are told BY people VINO
should know whereof they speak,
hat we should grow barley. II Is
an excellent feed and a good SUD-
stitute for corn. ] have found by
stitute for corn. | have found by
hausts our soil even more rapidly
han oats. And | do not like TO
handle a barley crop, and ma
that all kinds of stock, II given a
choice between wheat and barley,
will eat wheat every time.
raised barley two years, then
discontinued for the reason that l
could not get a good second rop on
the same land and when barley was
followed by wheat or oats the crop
was always light. The experience OF
others resulted in their giving up
barley as soon as the results on the
soil was ascertained.
This, of course, is our experience.
The result in other places may re-
suit differently. l am told that at
Oakley and vicinity in Cassia county
they raise barley without serious in
jury to the soil.
| prefer wheat to barley as a feed.
It's market value Is greater n an
all around better crop for us to pro-
duce. Wheat is a staple crop. We
always have a market. On Il ir-
rigated farms we are always sure OF
a crop. A short crop on the non
;..;w-+~l .1Ator, -rI,. snnrnnang MI
profits.
The farmer in irrigated sections
Is Independent Of weather conditions
He also wants to be more independ-
ent by producing everything wanted
in the way Of feed and food stuffs
for his own farm, thereby securing
all these things at first cost.
1t Is also true that the days of
cheap wheat r a thing Of the past.
Our best wheat lands are becoming
rapidly exhausted and these lands
can only be built up by growing
other crops. Our population is in
creasing over two million a year.
These people can only be fed by
stopping our importations of wheat
and flour and increasing our yield
per acre by more scientific methods
and extending the dry farming area.
I do not recommend the growing of
wheat on a large scale by irriga-
ton. Our settlers on new lands will
find it profitable to grow wheat on
some of their land, even though they
fall short of the big yield which is
possible after the land is improved
by growing alfalfa or some other
leguminous crop.
Stock of all kinds are generally
scarce in newly settled sections.
Hay is a crop which can not be
shipped a great distance with profit.
Wheat grown by irrigation on
new land is, If good seed is secured
and properly handled. always clean
and of good quality. 1t has good
milling qualities and is eagerly
bought up by the elevators and the
grain buyers.
In closing l want to add that l
have treated this subject in a gen.
eral way only. There are many
things which can only be learned
by a certain amount of experience.
Many little detainls to wheat grow
ing, as in other lines, depend on
success or failure.
Our agricultural schools and ex-
perlmental stations will help you
over many rough places, and enable
you to avoid making many mistakes,
If you are new in the west and have
irrigation to learn. They will glad
ly give you any information at their
command. And among our settlers
are always found some experienced
lrrigators from other sections. Here
you will have object lessons of
practical value.
The irrigated farmer should of
necessity be a man of brains and ed
ucatlon-a thinker and progressive
in spirit-susceptible to new ideas
willing to be taught as well as to
instruct others. Then by bringing
together people from the four cor
ners OF our great country, as it
were, we a readily see that we
shall get the best ideas from them
all. We are also lifted out of the
old ruts. We do not do things as
father did. but we look to thescien-
fist for information, d%iscarding ira
dition. The farmer is taking his
place where he belongs, in the front
ranks of the avocations. Modern
invention is bringing to the farm
a relief from drudgery and many col
forts of civilized life-education for
the boys and girls comforts and
pleasures for all. And now on the
irrigated farm in particular where
the holdings are small and the profit
large. and the sun shines nearly all
the time.