The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1912-10-04
LESSONS FROM DRY FARMING
Cultivation Of Growing Grain lie Found
misunderstanding Of Much
Value.

MISUNDERSTANDING Of Much
Value.
From the dry-farming methods
which are so necessary to success
throughout the west, farmers in the
more humid districts of the east can
often gain valuable suggestions with
regard to the proper conservation OF
moisture. One lesson which may be
learned Is In reference to the treat
ment Of the small grains. The east
ern farmer usually considers wheat
oats and barley as crops which cannot
be cultivated. Consequently no at
tention is paid to them from the time
they are sown until they are ready to
harvest. Not SO with the up-to-date
dry-farmer. He cultivates his grain
fields after every rain from the time
they are well started in the spring I'M
til they are too high to allow of further
cultivation. The spiketooth harrow
is used for the earlier workings; as
the grain grows larger the weeder is
substituted. BY means of the latter
implement grain may be cultivated al
most UP to the time when 1t begins
to head.
The advantages Of this cultivation
are twofold In the first place 1t
serves to break the crust which is so
likely to form after the spring rains,
and to close the cracks which the
frost has made in the winter grain
fields. This lessons. the evaporation
of moisture, which is most rapid from
crusted or crooked soil, and conserves
1t until 1t iG most needed by the grow
ing crop. The advantage of this pre-
caution is most apparent In the semi
arid districts, but in dry seasons 1t Is
noticeable anywhere.
In the east rolling winter wheat as
soon as it is safe to go on the ground
in. the spring is perhaps to be pre-
ferred to narrowing. If clover is plant
ed with the wheat 1t should be sown
before the, rolling Is done. The rolling
! covers the clover seed and also firms
the soil about the roots Of the wheat
plants where 1t has been loosened by
heaving. The other effect Of cultiva-
ton is in the keeping down of weeds,
and for this purpose 1t is Just as use
full and just as necessary in the east
/ as in the west. Small weeds are very
easily killed with the harrow OF weed
er, and IL the work is properly done
the grain will not be injured.
Three precautions are necessary in
narrowing small grain. Drilled grain
only should be narrowed, for cultiva-
ton destroys portion Of the stand Of
that which has been sown broadcast
and so lessons the yield. For the
same reason the narrowing should be
done In the direction of the drills ra-
Their than across them. Fields on
which grass or clover seed has been
sown should not be narrowed, for the
young plants are as easily killed by
this treatment as are the weeds. None
of these precautions need be observed
If the roller 10 used on winter grain
but the roller is of little or no use in
killing weeds. In the east, except in
the driest seasons, it will not usually
be profitable to harrow grain fields
more than once.
Another lesson which may be learn
ed from the dry-farmer is the diskine
of land which is to be plowed later
In order to keep the soil from baking
until the blowing can be completed
This practice was begun in the west
on grain stubble after harvest In or
der to hold whatever moisture was In
the soil, for usually little rain falls
after that time. Since the disking car
be done much more rapidly than tbs
blowing, there is less chance for evap
evaporation and the land then remains
for some time in good condition fol
blowing. For several years a Mary
land farmer has applied this method
to his spring blowing, disking all his
stubble and cultivated fields which ar,
to be plowed just as early in tn,
spring as he can get on to them. H,
is then able to pillow his land at an!
time, whereas his neighb RS are ofteI
compelled to postpone their plowinl
until the hard clay soil is softened b!
rains.
In addition to remaining in condi
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