The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1911-02-17

Doubtless the middle west has suf-
tered, or a prejudice has existed
against it because of the application
TO the methods of farming in this area
of the term DRY Farming There
are unquestionably people IN the east
aud the south who imagine that this
term implies farming with an amount
of rainfall which would be entirely
insufficient to produce crop under
their conditions.
This however is an erroneous no.
tion which they have allowed to pos
sess them.
Dry Farming" as applied to cOndi-
tions in the Middle West might be
termed "IntensiYe Tillage," ," "Good
Farming" "Scientific Tillage," or
any one of dozen different names
which would mean the same thing.
The term DRY Farming" has been
applied to the operation for so long
time that it is questionable whether
or not it would be we'll to try to
change it, or substitute something
else for 1t.
This different system Of tillage has
to be followed in a large proporloin of
the Middle West, not because there is
not rainfall enough to produce good
crop, but because of other circum-
stances and conditions.
One of these is the fact that our
rain comes differently than it does
at lower attitudes. An inch of rain in
an hour is not unusual, and two inch
es not unknown. This same amount
of rain if falling in a lower altitude
would probably assume the form of
drizzle, and would continue over a
period of from twelve to tWentv-four
hours. Coming in this form 1t is more
largely absorbed by the soil, than
where it comes in a downpour. Hence
one Of the reasons for the different
methods.
Another reason is that the surface
OF our area is very rolling, and the
inclines quite steep. The slopes drain
ing into the Missouri river give very
rapid fall to the waoer as it runs from
them. That does not necessarily
mean that they are hilly, but it is
probably conservative to say that the
altitude increases an average of five
feet to the mile as we travel from the
Missouri or any of it's principal trib-
utaries to the westward.
With this condition the water fall
ing on the surface runs off more rap
idly than it does where the slopes are
less gradual. This is another reason
why different methods of tillage have
TO be employed.
A further reason is the fact that
our soil has lam undisturbed for such
period OF years, been washed by
these excessive downpOurs of rain,
and the vegetation burned from it by
the prairie fires, that it has become
hard and compact, almost waterproof.
L lliS hOV Ohlg dppliCS w GiiS sui IaNC
soil, but also to the subsoil for vary
ing depths. Until this hard surface
soil, and the subsoil where it assumes
the form it does over most of this area
is in some way loosened up, it is al
most impenetrable by water.
The consequence is that when the
heavy rain comes to us, practically
bringing water enough to half pro-
duce a good crop, unless the soil has
been properly disturbed so that it will
receive it as rapidly as it comes, much
of it runs into The rayines, from there
into the streams and ultimately into
the Missouri river. 1t has been stated
aid we think never questioned, that
if all of the area draining into the
Missouri and it's tributaries We're put
in a thorough state of cultivation to
a depth of twelve inches, and kept so,
the great Missouri would be a sleepy
stream, except possibly for a short