American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-12-30

The states adjoining the dry farming
)elt are always giving us hard knocks.
I II not much TO be wondered at, for
I must be heartbreak;ng 70 see the
rounger generation leaving the old
rome and going farther west. There
a very good reason, however, for
his exodus from the Older states. The
younger generation Is willing to learn
ow TO pillow and conserve moisture
already In some states they have
Dubbed the crops) and as soon as
hey have mastered this they can come
o Idaho. Colorado or any other good
Try farming state and raise as big
srops on ten dollar land an the old
nan at home is raising on hundred
iolar land.
Henry Wallace OF Wallace's Farmer
tas on one OF these hurry commissions
rganized for political effect, for which
he people pay and for which they get
nothing. We doubt II they ever got in
ouch with any reputable dry-farmer
IT procured any reliable data OF the
1illions OF dollars worth OF the beef,
airy, fruit and feed products shipped
rom the dry farms OF the West. Wal
ace say that while on that commits
lon they inquired how much land was
'ecessary for successful dry farming
nd discovered Che doesn't say from
yhom) that ut least 500 acres are re-
uired.
The writer commenced on one OF
IL Colorado farms In 1886 with 80
ores and sold out In 1914 with 1920.
With fifteen cows. three or four heavy
orses, chickens and bees. he made a
wing until he was able to acquire
e land. Some years we sold a ton
I honey. some years only a few hun
o pounds. We fed rye to horses
nd dry stock and some pigs ran to
he stacks all winter End lived off the
rain. One hundred chickens scien.
ideally handled paid the grocery bill.
The rye we would plant on land
lowed ten inches deep. II often grew
VIM INV w btNth itti nlkD tliu Wtll
everal tons to the acre.
or course, we had very little pas
ure and a little outside range. On
hirty 10 forty acres we would raise
rom fifty 10 one hundred tons of faed.
,orn fodder. wheat always Turkey
led) for chickens. sorghum, and
'quashes, alfalfa coming In later. II
We mad piowed like they do IN Iowa,
r broke the sod two inches like some
wonderful system OF dry farming rec.
commended. we would have gone dead
,,roke at the start. We broke the sod
'ometiines ten inches doop, doing only
re fourth an acre a day sometimes
ut then the first year we raised 4;
bushels OF corn per ere. Others whit
gere breaking but two inches deeI
aiscd nothing but nubbins.
Wallace In right In a way, for II
nan does not do the work properly
1000 acres won't keep him. IL he go
n touch with some shallow plowinl
Try farmers. then real dry farmin,
3 a closed book TO him. He says tina
i'ottrell told him that a man SHOULD
ave not less than 800 acres. Their
ire lots OF men doing we'll on less tina
hat, but OF course, 320 Is better thar
100 and 200 better than 100.
We know OF two Austrlans and oil
,erman who came TO this country thir
y years ago without n cent. They hat
earned to pillow IN the old country ant
,egan with 100 acres apiece. Not on
II the three is worth less than $500
odAy.
Mr.. Wallace writes: Mature hai
,een thousands OF years In providing
grasses suitable for that section ant
o break up this grass with the idei
Il getting anything better when irrt
,ation a not be supplied Ia simpl!
bucking against nature. or to put u II
another way. n sin against the coun
Try"
What do you think Of that? VIVA
q life but bucking against nature
What Is all farming but buckin'
AGAINST natureY When a man talks o
nature to a farmer he begins to thini
4 weeds. hailstorms. late frosts
lrouth, floods and hurricanes. or per
nap OF natures little pets. the crows
hawks and prairie dogs. Before VI
can oven start farming we have Il
plan u campaign against nature, an'
sve then she may have several
prises In store for us Imagine a vol
,ano starting up In the midst OF
farming country and bur
ring over a hundred farms In NUT
md lava. and yet this actually hap
,ened in California last year.
According TO Wallace. then, u Is
An 10 ploN up grass which fasas
,laced on the prairie, and which WI
rot 20 500 pounds to the acre. an
.aise feed which under the right con
iltlons, may go three tons. 1t Is
nignty good thing for the West Una
10 don't think like this Iowa gentle
nan. Nature viii bear q whole ''
4 watching or she will hand you