The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1914-06-19
Answers TO Questions Propound.
ed by Practical Farmers.
success Attained In Production q,
crops Depends Largely on Mana
Own eHotis-Prepare Soil TO
Retain All Moisture.

N'phi DRY IHtm sub station ,
~ " profitable 10 grow alfalfa op
dry farm7 Il the expense of pr,d,c.
ms alfalfa on n dry farm less than ,,
the irrigated farm What is tho "a,
terence. II any, In the yield " alfalfa
on the dry farm and that ON tho irrl
gated iarm7 How r. The soil moisture
content Of dry farm soils effected nv
~" growing ~ ALFALFA These pro
some OF the questions which have
been asked by practical farmers NJ
today
tn" success hat a farmer attains I'm
IN" production OF crops ON mis- farm
depends largely on his own individual
efforts. II is hard for a farmor To pro
t'ct his crop after 1t shows signs OF
dronth. for water To- the soil h. the i'm.
poriant factor to the production of
AIRY farm crops Therefore. II il the
duty OF the farmer TO study the con
dlilons which lead toward his success.
by preparing the soil for the purpose
OF receiving and holding moisture
Experiments from Akron. colo
made In 1911 shows the amount Of
water required IN the production NJ
TIRE" crops ~ alfalfa First crop
from May l3th 10 July 1911 an aver.
< OF ZOOS pounds Of water vas used
ia the production Of one pound Of dry
matter Second crop from Iuly 18Th
To September 18Th. au average OF
l3ji pounds of water vas used In tho
production ~ one pound OF dry matter
Third crop from september 18th 10
October 22ud, an average Of 500
pounds ~ water was used iu the pro.
duction 81 u pound OF dry natter
More water was used In the production
OF one pound ~ dry matter during
July. August and September. due 10
the high rate OF Transportation from
the alfalfa crop
The cost of producing alfalfa hay
on the dry farm Is less than on the IT,
rigatod farm cultivation is the i'm
portant factor ON the dry farm with
irrigation the important factor on tho
irrigated farm On the production Of al.
falfa While the cost W irrigation IL
entirely with the taxes ON IN" water.
the cost of cultivation Is not cllmi
mated from the irrigated farm The
average yield ~ Alfalfa ON irrigated
land Is approximately four tons per
acre, while the average yield ON the
dry farm il approximately two tons
per acre However, I'm" Increased
yield of alfalfa ON the irrigated Ian II
sufficient To pay the extra cost OF pro-
duction
The moisture content NJ dry farm
soils IL greatly effected by the produc
ton OF alfalfa. iuc to M" fact that
alfalfa. which Is a lrguuiuuus crop.
uses mp considerable moisture not
that all OF the moisture Is used direct.
IS by the plants. but "a good portion Is
lost by Transportation
Experiments prov" that the soil
moisture content ls regulated, more OF
less. by planting alfalfa In rows and
hills. because the area from which a
plant has To draw moisture IL iucreas
ed. the Transportation from the crop Is
decreased and the direct evaporation
from the soil Il decreased b. cult'va
ton during the early growing sriod,
until the ground becomes shaded by
the plant Growing alfalfa In rows
and hills is far better than growing
alfalfa broadcast ou dry farms for jhe
purpose ~ seed production