The Citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1903-1912, 1912-08-24
LESSONS FROM DRY FARMING
Farmers In Humid Regions Of East
Can Gain Suggestions Regarding
Conservation Of Moisture.

From the dry-farming methods
which are 80 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 atten.
ton is paid to them from the time
they are sown until they are ready
to harvest. Not so with the up-to-
date farmer. He cultivates his grain
fields after every rain from the time
they are well started In the spring I'M
I'll they are too high to allow Of furth-
err cultivation. says the Country Gen.
tleman. The spike-tooth harrow is
used for the earlier workings; as the
grain grows larger the weeder Is sub.
stituted. BY means Of the latter i'm.
plement grain may be cultivated al
most up to the time when It begins to
head.
The advantages Of this cultivation
are two-fold In the first place 1t
serves to break the crust which is so
likely to form after the spring rains.
and 10 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 cracked soil. and conserves
1t until II is 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 everywhere.
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. II clover is
planted with the wheat II 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 II has been
loosened by heaving. The other effect
OF cultivation is in the keeping down
Of weeds. and for this purpose II is
Just as useful and Just as necessary In
the east as In the west. Small weeds
are very easily killed with the harrow
or weeder. and II the work is properly
done the grain will not be injured.
Three precautions are necessary in
handling small grain. Drilled grain
only should be narrowed. for cultiva-
ton destroys a portion OF the stand
Of that which has been sown broad.
cast and SO lessons the yield. For the
same reason the narrowing should be
done In the direction of the drill rows
rather 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
II the roller Is used on winter grain.
but the roller Is of little or no use in
killing weeds. In the east. except in
the driest seasons. 1t 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 disking
of land which Is to be plowed later in
order TO keep the soil from baking un.
I'll the blowing can be completed
This practice was begun In the west
on grain stibble 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 the
blowing. there is less chance Tor evap-
grafton. and the land then remains
for some time In good condition for
blowing.
In addition to remaining in condi.
ton to pillow for a much longer period.
land which has been disked Is much
less inclined to break up In clods and
Jumps than undisked soil, and hence
is more easily put in condition for
planting. The loose earth which is
thrown to the bottom of the furrow
unites much more readily with the
furrow slice. and no larger air spaces
are left.