The new era., 1912-02-29
STOCK ON DRY FARMS
Agriculture Must Be Used to I'm.
prove Soil Fertility.
One Of Best Ways to Accomplish End
10 to Raise More Animals and oi.
vsrsify crops-seii Only
Hloh.Pricsd Products.

In the early development Of the dry
farming industry. practically all the
thought was given to the production
Of crops. The main problem was to
take land receiving but scant rainfall
and producing but little OF value. and
make It produce paying crops. At
tention has been directed toward the
practical problem Of plowing. harrow
ing and other tillage operations to
conserve moisture. The world has
been searched for plants Injured to
drouth. Careful tests have been made
to secure varieties that would pro-
duce maximum crops with a minimum
amount Of water.
The work OF determining whether
success or failure has to be the re-
ward Of all this labor has left little
ktime to consider methods Of making
the industry permanent and establish.
ing It on tho basis OF good husban.
dry. The pioneer work has been we'll
done. 1t Is now necessary that dry
land agriculture improve and not de-
plete soil fertility. and that 1t develop
. high type Of citizenship among its
followers.
Ono OF the ways OF accomplishing
these ends IL to increase the live
stock and diversify the dry farm prod
ucts. In the past but very little at
tention has been given to animal pro-
duction. This has been very well
thus far. but history has demonstrate
ed that such a policy will inevitably
decrease soil fertility. Now. a good
system of permanent dry land agri.
culture cannot be conducted on land
that Is gradually but surely growing
poorer. Ono OF the very best ways Of
maintaining soil fertility is to feed
the crops to live stock on the farm
and sell only concentrated. high
priced products.
Live stock may also contribute to
the more successful management Of
the dry farm by helping more proiit-
ably to employ Its labor. In the pro-
duction Of a single crop. for example.
wheat. a great deal of labor 10 re.
quired at certain seasons Of the year.
while at other seasons there is prac-
tically nothing to do. This condition
Is certainly out Of harmony with
economic management. 1t would not be
difficult to arrange a system of man.
agement whereby the labor required
during the busy season of crop pro-
duction could be profitably employed
at other times caring for live stock
being fattened. Thus the live stock
would not only preserve the value Of
the land. but would help to solve one
Of the dificult problems Of profitable
| management.
The manager of the dry farm may
also use live stock in helping to solve
the problem Of marketing. Crops can
often be fed to animals at a good
profit. This also places the crops
more or less beyond the uncertain
fluctuations In price. On every farm
there are always certain products
which for some reason are unmarked
able. yet perfectly edible. They are
often an entire loss in the absence OF
stock to consume them. Where crop
growing alone Is followed. the sales
are usually all made at one time. max.
ing a short season OF great plenty. but
longer season with absolutely no In
come. BY the use of live stock. the
period when money Is coming In Is ex-
tended. The diversity OF products
also makes the farmer less at the
mercy Of unfavorable conditions