The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-03

pend on the kind of fall and winter
Providence DEGREES. Abundant wheat
pasture we'll into the winter would
prove of inestimable help. and mild,
open winter of a value difficult to COM
pute
There will be much roughage, and the
sorghums are again demonstrating
their peculiar value for both forage and
grain in seasons of deficient rainfall. In
the main, the sOrghumS, though max
ing little growth for several weeks,
kept alive and with the coming of the
rains sprang into new life, end will
produce yields believed out of the ques-
ton month ago. While the board of
agriculture has been teaching a divers
ity of crops for nearly fifty years, and
has been advocating the silo for thirty
years, doubtless the farmers have been
more impressed with the wisdom of
this doctrine this year than ever before.
The lesson may be expensive, but in
the long run it should be worth more
than it cost. Those who persist in
gambling with the weather and on a
single crop are not the ones who are
upbuilding agriculture, or even playing
square with themselves and their fam
lilies.
In an inventory of seed supplies, an
item Of considerable Importance this
year is the immense quantity of wheat
straw on nearly every hand, and it's
rating is somewhat higher than usual.
Also, in case of necessity, wheat may
be fed, and there are cOnSidera bic
stores on hand from the big crop that
in the main has been threshed.
The shortage of water has been re-
moved by recent rains. Investigations
reveal that the shortage was first felt
by those who relied upon streams and
ponds, also that wells reaching the
deeper water-bearing strata were most
ly unfailing. This would indicate that
farmers should guard against a recur
renee of water shortage by well that
may be depended on, regardless of the
rainfall. Experience has taught that
in nearly every community such wells
may be had. Scarcity of water pro-
badly caused the first break to mar
ket with immature stock.
The boards inquiry has brought out
the fact that there were wells in every
neighborhood that furnished abundant
water throughout the whole of the dry
period, and that there are few lOcah-
ties indeed where never-failing water
is not available by boring. In fact, one
of the greatest assets of Kansas as a
live stock state is the ineXhaustible
reservoir that underlies the state at
various depths. From the western part
of the state reports unanimously say
that the wells are never falling and
that reaching the "underfOW,' no
amount of pumping materially lowers
weather
Stockmen without dependable water
should by all means bring into requisi-
ton the well. Where wells fail, the
defect may be remedied in most por-
lions by sinking them to lower wa
ter bearing strata. No better campaign
could be initiated than for deep driven
wells in Kansas, and the past season S
experience should bring a general
awakening to this need. With never
failing water, a silo or so for both
summer and winter feed, and the sor-
ghums as insurance for their filing the
seasons losses by dry weather may be
met with small loss, if not wholly
avoided. The man who can tide over
such a period has a tremendous adj
vantage, and has good grip on the
key to success
While the people will quickly recover
from the reverses of the season Just
past, it would be infinitely better to
hereafter take such steps and adopt