The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-03-20


to farm land so as to eliminate the
element of uncertainty or hazard I'M
growing crops. Where the rainfall is
not more than 2 inches in year, il
may be necessary in many instances
to grow but one crop on the land I'M
two years, but where the precipitation
is not less than Is inches on the aver
age, it is quite possible to grow at
least three crops in four years.
The element of haZard-that is. the
element of failure-may be practically
eliminated by growing small grains on
summer fallow, or on land that has
produced a cultivated crop the pre-
vious year. This presupposes that the
land has been properly summer fall
lowed and that the cultivated crop
has been properly grown.
When to PIow the Land
When land is summer fallowed in
the plains country where the bulk Of
the precipitation falls in the growing
period, the ground should be plowed
when it has the largest amount of
moisture in it. That usually occurs
in late May, in June, and sometimes
in early July 1t should be plowed
then because it is more easily plOwed
when it has a maximum of moisture
in it, and because much of that mois-
ture may be retained for the growing
of the crop that will follow. 1t
should be plowed deeply for many rea
sons. one of the chief of these is
that at such a time deep blowing is
most easily done
10 CHI. MI
be gone over with a roller, a plank
err a sub-surface packer, or a disc.
The conditions must determine which
of these will be best. 1t must then be
narrowed as soon as at all possible.
The dust blanket thus made must be
maintained throughout the season
After every considerable rain the
ground must be narrowed when in
proper condition for narrowing. The
frequent borrowings given will aid in
keeping the land clean 1t ought to
be kept clean, for weeds will soon
sap all the moisture out of the soil
if allowed to grow unchecked.
When the fallow is managed thus,
in a normal season there will be
moisture enough in the land to ger
sown on it. even in dry year,
though sown as early as August. If
wheat is not sown, the mulch must
be maintained till the close of the
season. Small grain of any kind may
be sown the following spring.
When a cultivated crop is grown,
the ground for it should be plowed,
preferably in the autumn. 1t may be
stubble ground Early autumn piow-
ing puts the soil in condition to adj
NIT precipitation that subsequently
fails. In the spring the moisture
should not be allowed to escape from
the soil.
Corn the Chief Crop
Corn will be the chief crop grown
as a cultivated crop in dry land areas.
1t will be grown more as a fodder
crop than for the grain. If the proper
kinds are chosen and if the work
is we'll done, not less than two tons
of cured fodder can be obtained from
an acre. 1t will not only repay the
outlay for labor but should also re-
turn a profit besides. if the corn has
been kept clean--which it ought to
be by the aid of the harrow and Gull
tivator. The land will be virtually
summer fallowed. The cultivation
given to the crop should retain enough
moisture in the soil to grow a crop
of grain that follows the corn. A
similar result should follow on potato
land and on land that had grown
beans or field roots.
After the cultivated crop the land
should not be turned to prepare it for
the next crop. To pillow it would rem
der the seed bed less firm and it
would allow the escape of much
moisture. The disc and the harrow
will prepare it for being sown. When
small grain is Sown on land thus pre-
pared a fair crop may be looked for
in a dry year. Should the year be
one of normal rainfall the crop will
be good. Should the precipitation be
more than normal the crop will be
unusually large. Thus, in any event.
the extra labor expended in prepar-
ing the land is not lost.
Fodder corn can be successfully
grown in nearly all the tillable por-
tons of the mountain states, and also
in the plains country where the ee-
votion is not more than 1000 feet
above the sea.