The Springfield herald., 1916-12-01

I hoPSu Sh9k oOtACotl@ lii uitC COuIl-
ty would take up the method and
give it the necessary test to de.
termine its status as dry-land
method OF farming-applicable
to Baca county. and still hope
someone will take it up and give
it an efficient and thorough trial.
What has brought out this talk
on the subject is an article in
a recent number of the Denver
Times telling of a man ten miles
out from the center of that little
burg who is making $4,000 "a
ynar off 600 acres-3OO acres in
crop 800 in summer tillage.
This man lives northwest of
Denver, in territory having
about the same rainfall as we
have here. We consequently
believe his experience to nave q
peculiar interest to our farmers,
and hence we have concluded to
give our people the benefit of
| some of the peculiar methods he
uses. r.
Thirty years ago his parents
moved to that territory, and iif-
teen years ago, upon coming of
age, the young man filed on 100
acres and at once began his
summer-tillage method of wheat
growing.
The article spoken of says
that Thompson (the mans
name) is raising more wheat to
the acre that other farmers are
raising. or irrigated land and! he
does not have the expense Of
bitches and water"
The significance of this state
mentis that Mr.. Thompson's dry
farm land is worth even. more
than irrigated land, which is SELL
ing anywhere from SfoO up
per acre.
The article further says,
while MIR. Thompson has lived
within one mile OF irrigated
farms he has not cared to change
his location. He has not
bonght any irrigated land and it
is known that he puts more mon
ey in the bank every year than
any farmer in his section whose
land is irrigated"
Now Mr.. Thompson's land
may be specially adapted to
wheat, but we would hardly
/ think so. Here is the descrip-
tion: "The farm is up on the
high divide, where the land is
mostly yellow subsoil, carrying
very little grit. The original
top soil ran abont 4 to 6 inches in
depth, but long ago disappeared
as the deep plowing brought up
from a to 6 inches of yellow SUBJ
soil. 1t produces wheat, oats or
barley in perfection"
Here is the how of Mr.. Thomp-
sons method: '',rhe blowing
has all been done with an ordin.
ary fourteen.inch mold board
riding plow to which are hitched
six horses. The first breaking
is done about five inches deep and
each blowing after that goes a
little deeper. The blowing is
done as soon after crop is TAX
en- off as possible, that timec COM
ing perhaps i'll the fall or maybe
not until the next spring. THERE'S
narrowing to be done during the
the summer to keep the soil
loose and to keep the weeds
from starting; and if rains pack
! the ground too hard the disk har-
row is necessary to keep the toy
soil loose and free from weeds"
| Speaking of the general appli-
cation of his method Mr.. Thomp-
son says that any man can at
tain the same success that he
has had, even though he starts
in small way, if he will only
farm right all that he farms.
Three horses will do good plow-
ing on dry land, as it plows much
easier than irrigated land, and
the narrowing is easily done.
And the last and most important
thing is the waiting until the
moisture is in the ground before
planting is attempted"
We are very certain that with
l, u,,,l ,-o ., rx;rrr FNo,, eIn0 tc e9OA