American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1914-07-09
PROFITABLE DRY FARM
POSSIBILITIES OF THE GREAT
AMERICAN DESERT.
Great Thing Is to Learn How to Pvf
Land In Proper Condition to Abb
serb Molsture-Also TO Know
Which Crops Are Suitable.

II Achulls OF the experiments CbI-
ried on during the recent years In the
state OF Wyoming bave demonstrated
beyond cavil the great possibilities of
utilizing the immense areas Of land,
commonly known as part Of the Great
American desert. On the experiment
and demonstration state farm. one
and ore-half miles east OF Cheyenne.
the following crops nave been raised
successfully:
Winter and spring wheats. winter
and spring rye. emmer. commonly
called speltz. several kinds OF barley,
oats. Canadian field peas, sorghum mil
let, kair corn, potatoes. sugar beets,
alfalfa and bronze grass.
The past seasons have tested the
work. The question as to whether
we can make dry farming pay is. in
my opinion. determined by the men
who have to do the work. These men
must learn to do their work intelii-
gently. Hit or miss farming will not
do. There are certain fundamental
rules which, If followed. will give good
returns, year in and veal out, even If
the seasons are not just as we would
like them to be.
We must put our land in the proper
condition to absorb moisture and
learn when and how TO cultivate it,
so as to keep this moisture in the
land. We must find out which crops
do the best on our farms. All soils
are not alike. We must learn to ro-
! fafa Crr -, md r,.-Ar fl- F,-te1
ity Of our land, instead of depicting
1t.
The more sec of the state and find
out the character of its soils. eli
matte conditions, vegetation growing,
the more l am convinced that this
state is going to be filled up with men
who will make good in farming But
to be successful, these men will have
to realize hat they must use an intel
ligent system; must make their soil
in that condition that no moisture runs
off, but acts the same as a dry sponge
would, and absorbs that vital necessity
TO vegetation. moisture. Dur Wyom-
ing soils are extremely fertile; our
climatic conditions, although e~rratic,
6AN0 10 AAOP0 mat aAG AIonA Rd90Ca
elsewhere in quantity or quality. An
other phase in our farming which will
be better understood by and by Is, we
can mature good crops with less mois-
ture than at lower attitudes. Cattle
and sheep fatten on our native grasses
get fat without being fed any kind Of
grain. This proves that these grasses
aFa IF gnnarfnr pufrfffun Nu1ua Tho
conditions which make them so, neces-
sarily make u cereals, alfalfa and
bronze grasses also of superior quail
ity. Our growing season is short, but
! what is the difference whether our
crops mature in so, 80, or 100 days.
1t is the crop we are after. and If we
T get large ones of superior quality. that
| is what we want. There is no doubt
: we can raise Canadian field peas to
D perfection. Just think what this
6 means to any state. First, as a feed
ing and f%attening proposition; second,
improvement in fertility of the land.
We have been too prone to make
Il hard and fast rules about farming, and
= have been very derelict in studying
Jul EOnulAAOncs Tue q Incl dc q luAC,
has not made as much progress in his
/ work as nave other men in theirs. 1t is
Just as easy to raise large crops as
l. small ones and far more satisfactory.
The men who understand this are the
men that will be successful in the
arid and semi-arid states. So many
say, you cannot dry farm in Wyoming
q man Of Erafnu lin fhnfr ntrn limo ~
b~usiness), and ever men who knew
c so much. Not any of US car tell IN.
2 til the matter has been thoroughly
II tested, and It takes time to test the
4 many points In agriculture anywhere,
But, although We know so little abou;
v anything as a whole, there are some
\ things we do know, as for instance,
: deep blowing under certain conditions
is better than scratching the soil or
= shallow blowing. That good seed.
! gives best results; and improved ma.
chinery enables US to do better work.
, Any kind of farming to be successful
, must be done in%telligently. Therefore
| say to the careless man, who expects
God Almighty to do seventy-fve per
.r cent VI nlo MOAhs anu nc " w AWtnNg'
hve per cent, to keep away from
Wyoming. The results Of dry farm.
ing, as seen by me the last four years
carried on in different parts of this
state prove that men with the neces.
! sary capital can dry farm here and
Z that it will pay. The motto of the
newcomer should be. Brains and
Muscle in the order mentioned.
II the early failures Of any PROPOSE
: ton we're a criterion OF success OF
= failure. the world would not be where
ii is today. Many early settlers in
all new states fail through not know
ing the proper way to farm in the 10
caiity wherein they happen to be. Con
ditions are not the same everywhere
2. and We mugt learn 70 aunlv nronpr