The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-10-17
The Mastery
Of The Earth
Farmers Must Try Dry Farming
Methods 10 Make q Success
In This Country


Methods 10 Make a Success
In This Country
While we are giving science so
much glory for her achievements
did you ever think how much the
world owes to the plain people
who have matched their muscles
against the fLnty adversities Of
the earth just in plain toll, and
have provided food for the whole
race9 The world is always with
in six weeks of starvation. The
vi.ible food supply could all be
consumed in that length of time.
The men who have done the
most directly to subdue the
earth are the farmers. The Bur-
banks and others of their class
have helped, but those who have
done the most are the plain fell
lows who dig away at the ground
learn its ways and accomplish its
mastery.
Since free land is exhausted
in our country men with the HIS
toric land hunger of our race.
have been crowding the unculti-
waited area farther and farther
away, making themselves homes
in arid regions and those parts
once considered impossible. And
once year they and their rep
resentatives get together and
talk with each other Of how it is
done and held each other plan the
farther campaign. The writer at
ted. d some sessions of the Dry
Farming congress at Colorado
Springs two years ago and found
it a fascinating gathering and
the accompanying exhibit was a
wonder.
The congress believes that
drcughs. can be conquered, and
tn. t f4rmers can grow good crops
in any region getting fifteen
inches Of rainfall a year merely
by mixing a little brain with the
br .wn which farming demands.
The eighth international dry
farmiEe s.. cengresss, and sexpoIitiou
is to be he'd in Tulsa, Okla, dur
ing the last ten days of October.
Its officers and workers say that
no farmer need fear failure who
uses his m nj, as well as his muse
le, and IN proof Of their claim they
pitt to hundreds of instances
wher. crop have been raised
wi III lit lie or no rainfall during
the glow ng season.
The most rema kable instance
on record OF tn $ l4bility comes
from South Africa, where II
bushes Of wheat per acre were
r.:i ed: with but one-half inch of
rainfall from planting time to
harvest.
W.. r. AIotherwell, minister Of
ag:i u!ture for Saskatchewan,
Canada, and president Of the in
ternationaI dry-farming congress
raised "A bushels Of wheat per
acre on a registered. rainfall Of.
3.9 inches for the entire year.
These instances. might be inde-
fiLi: civ mul iplied. No such rain
fall records have ever been known
in the unirrigated farming dis
t1icts of the United States, yet
the MotlerweA record of yield is
far above any similar averages
obtained in districts of greater
rainfall.
Tire fact that, no matter what
time Of the year rain is received,
it can be held in the ground until
the growing crops are ready to
use it. The method by which this
Is accomplished is simple. It is
q process of soil tllage with or
binary implements whereby q
g Orage reservoir is created in
the soil to hold: the water, and a
surface mulch OF layer Of loose
dirt is formed on top Of the soil
to retain it. The system is as
simple as putting q cork in q
bottle and it works equally a.
well.
Sixty per cent of the earth 8
I rming surface gets a rainfall
Of less than 20 inches annually.
Nearly all Of the remaining 40
per cent is subject to occasional
or periodical drought. Because of
this fact, the teachings Of the
International congress are of
worldwide Importance, and it's
work is done among the farmers
Of near.y every agricultural ma.
ton on earth. Delegates from