The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-10-03

what is probably the greatest single
agricultural force the world has ever
known.
The International Dry-Farming Con.
gress is an organization with working
branches in nine countries o. the
" orld, with more than $4,000 individ.
ual members scattered through fifty
nations, and with an expense for ag
ricultural propaganda. including the
funds expended by it's branches, of
more than 100000 annually
The Sixth Congress will have as
delegates in actual attendance sew.
Ell governor of states, ten presidents
OF agricultural colleges, fifty profes-
sors of similar institutions. fifty mem
bers of the staff of the United States
department of agriculture, half hun
dred agricultural authorities from
foreign countries, and more than $500
prominent farmers and business men,
all of them intensely Interested in
the great problem of reclaimiGg The
so.called arid districts of the weld.
these delegates actually own and
operate farms to the extent e. nearly
six millions of acres, and the pro',.
lens they will meet to consider are
vital to sixty-three per cent. OF the
American continent and to more than
nifty per cent. of the entire eath's
surface.
Five previous conventions have
been held, the first at Denver, Colo.
in 1907 with an attendance of 300
people. and the last at Spokane,
Washington. with more than 1000
registered delegates and an actual at
tendance of double that number.
The Congress is a unique organize
ton. It's avowed objects are the co.
operative, scientific study of agricu,-
ture and the development of bette"
so-called dry districts of the world.
II has no country to colonize. II has
no lands to sell Its work is utterly
impersonal and, as such, 1t has been
officially Endorsed by the agricultural
authorities of many countries.
The world has discovered, as a gen
eral truth, that the method used in
farming in those regions which re.
ceive 20 inches of rainfall or less per
year nakes all the difference between
success and failure. The actual farm
er is just beginning to learn this fact
Z few years ago the agricultural
world was astounded at the news that
a campaign for better farming meth
the annual yield of corn in that state
| five bushels per acre. The campaign
now being carried on in the dry-farm
ing districts frequently determines
whether two bushels or twenty Uush
eds of wheat to the acre, and o-hei
crops in proportion, shall be harvest
ed
The Congress advocates deep plow
ing for the production of humus IL
the soil, frequent surface cultivation
and the maintenance of loose sur
face mulch to check evaporation anC
preserve moisture, the rotation o.
crops to preserve soil fertility, the
raising of live stock to the limit o
the farms capacity, and the use o
plenty of common sense on the par
of the farmer as lubricant for hi
seasons labors.
The gradual adoption OF these prin
ciples by the country's "dry-farmers'
has not only added hundreds of mil
lions of dollars to the value of thu
lands of western America, but 1t IL
adding other tens of millions annu
ally TO the crop production of ever!
Western stae. For instance, Colorado'
agricultural products this year amour
to more than $lO4 200, 900 or $3.50 pc
capita. Never before in the history o
the country has the average per CAP
tia production anywhere been NOR
than 500. Five years ago Colorado
total annual crop value was less thai
$40 ,000, 900, and the subsequent In
crease is largely due to the rapid de
velopment of her dry-farming district
under scientific farm methods.
The Dry'Farming Congress ha
grown so rapidly that its division IL
to sections became necessity seyera
| years ago. This year no less than fiv
! great convention halls have been St
cured TO accommodate the various d
visions. In addition to the parent cor
| gress there are now the Information
al Congress of Farm Women, the II
| ternational Conference of Agricu
| .s,,,, a.