The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1911-06-24
CORN AS A DRY FARM CROP
Produces Abundance Of Cheap Feed
and Shades Soil, Preventing Con-
sequent Loss of Fertility.

By w. r. PORTER. Superintendent of
North Dakota Demonstration Farm.l
In all the dry farming areas the /
conservation of the rainfall in the soil.
where is becomes available to grow
ing crops. is the keystone OF success
full agricultural operations This is
generally done by the cultivation Of
the soil during the entire growing sea
son. II no crop is produced on the
land, this operation is called sumner
fallow or summer culture. Over most
of the dry farming area, nearly Ii
not fully as good grain crops can be
grown following the cultivated crop as
on summer fallowed land
When the bare. fallow system is
used a whole year elapses without
any returns either on the investment
or for the labor performed. II cul-
tiyated crop can be grown with as
good crops following II should more
than pay its expense which will con-
sist in the cost of seed. planting and
harvesting, the cultivation would have
to be done anyway. so this should not
be counted against the cost of produe
ton Of a crop of corn. Corn is pre-
, eminently this crop: First. because
II produces an abundance OF cheap
feed; second, because II shades the
soil during the excessively hot days
of July and August, thereby prevent
ing loss of soil fertility; and third, q
corn field has a cooling rather thar
a heating influence on the winds tina
blow across It. This may have yer!
:. beneficial effect on surrounding crop
when the temperature is near the loo
degree mark.
On most farms in the dry farming
u area enough live stock should be KEEP
II to pay most of the running expense
I Of the farm. Hay and pasturage ar
y very short in such areas and cons'
IL quently too dear for cheap live stoc
al production. Enough corn should b
es grown to supply the work horses wit
SD roughage during the winter, IL not tt
ey working season, and later to suppl
II ment the pastures of the summer ar
Sc fall as a soiling crop or in the for
ro- of ensilage and to form the bulk
ne their winter ration. Enough CO..
'st should also be grown to supply q
he sheep and hogs a cheap fattening fo
an for finishing them off In the fall.
in The first essential to corn cultu
'od on the dry farms is live stock,
'ra- without this there is no way Of util
len ing the corn crop. On the OIL
hand, If live stock are kept, feed mi
oes be had; the corn crop can be c
and verified into beef, pork, mutton. We
ven butter and eggs-commodities I
hat can always be converted into cash
hat its equivalent The by-product
ully live stock (manure) should go b
new onto the land to replenish the dir
per ishing supply of humus and fert
ing elements so essential to Ia
soil yields.
lean The seoond essential to corn cul
al is conviction that 1t will pay
put grow live stock on the corn crop
re- duced and a determination to 81
the corn as their chief feed in spite
not adverse circumstances In order to
'are successful in growing corn on
rom farm the selection of the proper
ara riety is essential In western No
But Dakota and eastern Montana, SOU
red. Gehu, Mercer, King Phillip and
ten umph will probably prove the /
will flint varieties, while Golden Dent
o 1t Northwestern Dent will proba
eds. prove the best dent varieties. G
ould seed is very important. 1t should
'iga- ways terminate strong-95 per C
ant, or better
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