The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1913-12-06

x. S.
= NICE THE buffalo roamed over
- the plains from the Panhandle
of Texas to the Dakotas is not
so long, only about forty years, and
yet III that time Western Kansas has
seen. the boom OF the sos, the decline
OF the COS. and the boom of 4 decade
ago and the decline OF the last few
years These alternate periods of rise
and fall have been due largely to a
lack of knowledge of Western Kansas
conditions by those who have come
To build homes III the region and
also to some degree to seeming cycles
OF favorable and unfavorabIe years.
Many who have gone into the region.
however. have solved the problems
confronting them and are now making
permanent homes In this they have
been aided remarkably by the work
of the Kansas State Agricultural Col
lege through its branch experiment
stations, the agricultural colleges OF
other states and the United States
department OF agriculture, all of
which have conducted extensive in
vestigatiOnal work in the semtarid
area
The first thing that must be con-
sidered to- insure success is correct
tilIage methods by which the land is
put i'll condition To receive the muis-
ture when it comes and to prevent it's
evaporation after it has been re-
ceiYed- Though many mistakes have
been made in the application of such
that fall preparation OF very early
spring preparation by disking OF, list
ing of the land for intertilled crops.
such as sOrghums and corn, is highly
beneficial. 1t has also been demon
strated that. for this country. meth
DDS of summer tillage. with tools
which do not purverizez but which
leave the ground in the rough, should
be employed at least once every
three or four seasons to put the
ground in good physical condition, to
conserve moisture aud TO IibeTate
plant food
Second: In place of growing the
small grains, wheat and oats. exclu-
tain crops in Western Kansas. more
drouth-resistant crops such as kafir,
milo, the sweet sOrghums and broom
corn must be grown. II is very
probable that other crops such as the
Sudan grass. sweet clover the Span
ish peanut and the Mexican bean. may
prove exceedingly valuable. but for
their use in Western Kansas thus far
has been largely experimental and
not general.
Third: In order to secure n proper
market for both forage and feed. these
crops should be fed upon the land to
dairy or beef cattle. sheep or hogs
and disposed of in concentrated live
stock products. such as cream, butter.
beef. hogs, mutton OF veal
Fourth: If forage and feed crops
are to be economically used and to
bring the largest returns possible. ST.
los are necessary; both to provide sue
culent feed during fall and winter
and to tide over periods OF drOuth
when otherwise cattle would be
starved OF sold at a loss
Fifth: If agriculture in the region
IS to be permanent. if the virgin fer
tility and moisture containing capacity
of the soil is to be maintained. and if
soil blowing is to be prevented. the
fertility and humus must be conserved
by proper rotation. the use of barn
yard manure and straw and the utili-
cation of green manure crops. This
is really one of the most difficult
things to put in practice for the whole
Western country, as manure and
straw decay very slowly in semi-aTid
climates and must be used with care
so as not to injuTe the crops imme-
diately. succeeding. That it is abso-
lutely necessary. however, to main
tain the humUs is demonstrated by
the fact that when it is lacking soil
blowing always threatens, water is alb