Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1913-01-03
PRINCIPLE OF DRY R M
Methods Becoming More Popular
Along With Irrigation and Where
Moisture Is Too Meaqer.

While the possibilities of dry farm
many, and it will yet be found thai
in most semi-desert regions it cannot
do what has been claimed and hoped
for from it, these dry-farming meth
DDS are every day becoming more ano
more popular along with irrigation
and in parts where the moisture Is
often toe meager In the asst named
parts, where at first business men,
and especially boosters, boomers ano
land men, rabidly fought it on the
ground that it gave a bad impression
of the country, it is now being looked
to as the greatest boon that ever came
to make uncertain regions almost sure
crop producers. To i~rrigators VINO
have had ample water, and so foolish
ly used too much of it till their lands
are becoming sol and soggy with
subirrigation, it is proving a great
blessing; and to those who must frri-
gate, but at times lack ample water
supply, it is proving perhaps the
greatest blessing of all, says the Da'
kota Farmer.
In much of our mountainous region
there is an o~versupply Of water when
the SHOWS are going off in the spring.
but an equal dearth of it when once
the snow water is gone. These peo'
pie are finding that by very deep
blowing, occasionally, and proper sur
face tillage afterward, very much OF
this early surplus of water can be re
tanned far into the growing season
This is meaning much, in fact every
thing In some parts.
There are other wide irrigated sec
tons that are opening up more acres
than the old wasteful methods car
supply; but instead of discouragins
the new acres, all are urged to con
serve the water taken by frequent
surface tillage, and other methods
known to up-to-date dry-farmlng
} This, in some cases coming under oul
notice, has more than doubled thu
, acreage possible. In California, II
Colorado and in the western part o
the Dakotas, and all along the rivers
in Montana and wyoming, we hav'
seen an increase of acreage under thti
treatment that formerly would no
have been thought possible.
Nor is the increase of possible acre
age the only gain from this source
1t is found that better crops both II
quantity and quality a be grow
where tiIIage takes the place of to
much watering. Potatoes especial
are greatly benefited by this. TIL
old-time water-soaked "spud" in n
way compares with the potato grow
by two waterings at the most, an
proper sort of tillage. 1t is foun
that even spuds can be over-irrigates
and that a small amount of judiciou
narrowing and ever disking, can b
made to take the place Of overfioodin
to the general betterment of the ha
crop. Sugar beets also tell the sam
:, story, as do many other farm pro
/, ucts.
A great many close students of til
10 situation greatly question, and right
# in our mind, the possibility of tn
system doing very much for parts
+ the country admittedly DESERT but T
e n at all acquainted with its poss
bilities questions for a moment tn;
it is going to be the means OF addir
greatly to the certainty OF crol
throughout the vast and otherwi'
productive region referred to which
\ now so often discouragingly nee
y tain.
Deep stirring of the subsoil, If on
" every third or fourth year; mo
planted crops we'll titled; more earl
Z we'll cared for summer fallow; mo
early blowing following early matr
10 ing crops such as winter y al
wheat, barley, etc; more harrowil
a of small grain, and disking of alfal
g. and other sods, and last but n
least, more deep-rooting alfalfa a.
IT, clover, with stock to
means much in dry-farming and to I