Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-07-05
The Western Kansas Plan.

Tribune, Greeley comfy, Kansas.
This county is probably the highest
in elevation of any of the counties of
the state and also one of the dryeSt.
The work thus far pursued has been
along the lines of Seed-bed prepara-
ton, primarily forth conservation
of moisture. This is the first year
that we have had winter wheat grow
ing on summer fallow. The crop at
this writing looks first class.
The most difficult problem that we
have to contend with in western Kan
sas is the blowing and shifting of the
soil as result of the strong winds
that blow over that part of the state.
Almost invariably when we propose
that the farmers summer fallow
portion of their land they protest by
saying that if they till their land as
is usually prescribed in the summer
faIlow it will all blow away before
planting time. We are attempting
ing, therefore, and with cemplete
success. to maintain a summer-t titled
field so that the soil will not be
shifted and blown away.
DISC HARROW DANGEROUS.
We have used and are now using
different tiilage implements for this
purpose. The disc harrow, SO com
monty used in cultivating the fali0w,
is a dangerous tool to use in western
Kansas on the summer fallow. 1t
pulverizes the top surface too COM
pletely; that is, it leaves the soil too
fine ordinarily. The sugar beet culti-
vator and the John Deere alfalfa
fcu1tiyator that runs on wheels are
the two best implements we have
thus far found with which to till the
fallOw and to prevent the soil from
blowing. Weeds can be- edf6ctiFeIy
kept down with either of these inn
ina cloddy condition rather than a
pafyerized condition. The winds are
not liable to shift and blow the soil
when the surface is left in a cioddy
condition.
Ground that is plowed thoroughly
to a considerable depth in May after
the most severe winds are over and
then worked with either of the two
implements above mentioned is left
in good condition to absorb the rain
fall and to retain it thereafter. In
handling the summer fallow or, in
fact, in working any of the land in
western Kansas which we have under
| our control, we always work it at
right-angleS to the prevailing wind
and in long, narrow strips. Under
this method of operating we have
been able to completely control the
blowing and the shifting of the soil.
Farmers operating in the Great
Plains area where the shifting of
soils give trouble will find that they
can hold the soil in place, either
where summer tillage is practiced or
otherwise, if they will work it with
the implements described above and
in the manner herewith stated.
TWO CROPS IN THREE YEARS.
We are finding also that the lister
is good implement with which to
plow the gf6dnd where blowing gives
trouble. Good results are being OBJ
tanned under fall listing, winter list
ing or spring listing, the ground be-
ring gradually worked down with suit
able implements as the season ad-
'oAOOo oO Pt6htAhS O4uAC- d
thoroughly firm and suitable seed bed
for wheat is provided.
This is the rotation of crops We are
advising western Kansas farmers to
grow: Summer failow, followed by.
winter wheat, then followed by dwarf
Kafiir or dwarf milo, then fAllow a.
gain. As we proceed eastward from
the western boundary of Kansas the
moisture gradually increases, SO that
in the vicinity of the Tooth meridian
we have rainfall of approximately
p or % inches annually.
Under this rainfall we believe the
following rotation will make the
farmers the most money: Summer
fallow followed by winter wheat two
years in succession, the ground for
the second crop of winter wheat be-
ing listed or plowed as early as
practical after the first crop of wheat
has been removed, the second crop of
wheat to be followed by sorghum
crop This gives three crops from
the land in four years, while the
first named rotation, the one we re-
commended for more severe condi-
| tions as regards to drouth, brings two
crops in three years.