American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1913-01-09
PRINCIPLE OF DRY R M
Methods Becoming More Popular
Along With irrigation and Where
Moisture Is Too Meager.


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While the possibilities of dry farm.
zng are doubtless oyerestimated by
many, and it will yet be found that
In most s~emi-desert regions it amor
DO what has been claimed and hoped
Tor from it, these dry-farming meth.
oos are every day becoming more and
more popular along with irrigation,
n In parts where the moisture is
often too meager In the last named
parts, where at first business men.
and especially boosters, boomers and
IAN men, rabidly fought it on the
ground that 1t gave a bad impression
or the country, 1t is now being looked
to as the greatest boon that ever came
10 make uncertain regions almost sure
crop producers. To irrigators who
have had ample water, and so foolish.
~ used too much of 1t till their lands
are becoming SOU and soggy with
subirrigation, it is proving a great
olessing; and to those who must irri-
gate, but at times lack ample water
supply. 1t is proving perhaps the
greatest blessing of all. says the Da-
xota Farmer.
In much of our mountainous region
there is an over-supply of water when
the SHOWS are going off in the spring.
Dut an equal dearth of 1t 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-
famed far into the growing season.
This is meaning much, in fact every
thing In some parts.
There are other wide irrigated Sec
that are opening up more acres
than the old wastefuI methods can
supply; but instead of d~iscouragipg
the new acres, all are urged to con-
serve the water taken by frequent
surface tillage, and other methods
to up-to-date dry-farming.
This. in some cases coming under our
notice. has more than doubled the
acreage possible. In California, in
Colorado and In the western part OF
the Dakotas. and all along the rivers
In Montana and Wyoming, we have
e an increase of acreage under this
treatment that formerly would not
have been thought possible.
Nor is the increase of possible acre.
age the only gain from this u
It is found hat better crops both in
quantity and quality can be grown
where tillage takes the place of toe
much watering. Potatoes especially
are greatly benefited by this. The
water-soaked "spud" in no
way compares with the potato grown
by two waterings at the most, and
proper sort of tillage. 1t is found
hat yer spuds can be over-irrigated,
Ind that a small amount of ju%dicious
narrowing and wen disking, can be
to taxi the place of overlooking
o the general betterment Of the hay
Sugar beets also tell the same
tory. as do many other farm prod.
lets.
A great many close students of the
greatly question, and rightly
n our mind. the possibility of this
ystem doing very much for parts OF
he country admittedly desert: but no
ne at all acquainted with its posi-,
flities questions for a moment that
is going to be the means of adding
to the certainty of crops
the vast and otherwise
region referred to which is
ow so often disccuragingly uncer.
ain.
Deep stirring of the subsoil, II only
very third or fourth year; more
lanted crops well titled; more early,
'ell cared for summer falIow; more
arly blowing following early matur-
1g crops such as winter rye and
heat, barley. etc: more narrowing
I small grain. and disking of alfalfa
nd other sods, and last but not I
'ast. more deep-rooting alfalfa and
lover, with stock to consume 1t,
leans much in dry-farming and to us. J