American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-02-10
GOOD DRY FARMING
is SCIENTIFIC FARMING

by ID. ". Davis and published in the
holiday number OF the Blackfoot Re
publican:
When we come to realize that So
per zen of the elements which enter
into the, production of crops in the
way of moisture and chemical plant
foods a be conserved, developed. or
supplied by proper tillage and rcta-
ton and that only 10 per cent is
dependent upon the soil itself, we
will insist that chemistry. so far as
it prettins to agriculture. shall be
taught In every public school. | hope
the day is not far distant when every
boy and girl may be able to look upon
a field of growing grain and tell what
the soil lacks and the reason why
maximum production is not being
obtained. Science can unlock this
storehouse of knowledge and will do
so whenever the people, realizing the
possibilities hat lie therein, demand
1t. Scientific farming and business
methods in the handling of u nat
ural ~sourc will bring to Idaho
an era of prosperity such as we have
never known.
We are entering upon the serious
study of these problems. In the
early days of Idaho's settlement 1t
was considered that the supplying of
moisture was the only thing needed
to secure maximum results. Import
ant as water Is, we have learned that
it is drink, and not food, that while
it liberates and makes available the
plant foods contained in the soil,
it does not create them. We have
discovered further, and it is a most
valuable discovery, that moisture can
be conserved as well as supplied and
that the means necessary to this con-
s%eryation are highly beneficial in the
production of crops, both as to yield
an dquality, and have n lesson for
every farmer, whether he irrigates
no not. Cultivation is replacing irrl-
cation on large acreages and making
possible the successful tillage of our
arid regions. A combination of the
two-irrigatiOn and cultivation-is
the ideal condition and our dry farm
ers are demonstrating hat c%ultiva-
ton is not les important han irri-
CATION. Dry farming methods are
producing splendid yields with less
than half the moisture during the
entire year, that many irrigators be-
lieve is absolutely necessary during
the months of May to September
alone.
nrxy farf,ntnn 10 "a antnnnn hn cod nm
on proper cultivation and rotation.
Science is not dependent upon late
spring and summer precipitation, al
though tshee are beneficial If condi-
lions are right. But II they compact
the surface and set up evaporation,
by bringing the moisture from be-
low to the ~compacted surface. more
moisture will escape in vapor form
| than the storms add and injury
| rather than benefit will result. Mois-
/ ture is a prime essential to crop pro-
duction and the first consideration of
the dry farmer. Instead OF supplying
4 it through bitches. he plows deep and
creates a reservoir that will take up
! and hold fall and spring rains and
the SHOWS of winter. He plows when
1 the soil is moist and Immediately
l harrows to make the top few inches
l loose and porous. This treatment
\ prevents evaporation, holds the mois-
i ture slightly below the surface and
gives access to the air. Should rains
\ come sufficient TO r ihnuttspeormWt
come sufficient to run this top dress
\ ing together the lane Is thoroughly
narrowed TO restore a loose, cloddy
mulch and the moisture that fell is
added to that already in the soil.
Should weeds appear they are de-
y stroyed by cultivation. usually with
a harrow. II takes more water TO
mature a Russian thistle than an ear
OF corr or a bundle Of wheat. A
heavy growth OF weeds on summer
\ fallow and will practically exhaust
\ all hte moisture that Ia In 1t, so that
a good part OF successful dry farming
U consists in keeping the fields erie
from weeds.
Summer following Is an essential
to success. BY this means the pre-
cipitation OF two seasons is made
available for the production OF n
crop. 1t enables The soil to accumu:
late nitrogen from the air as well
and nitrogen is the element lacking
, in our arid soils. The mineral salts
we nave in abundance, as many irrf-
4 gators nave learned to their SORROW.
Nitrogen can be supplied by growing
alfalfa, peas and other legumes and
this will be the next advance In dry
farming. Within the next few years
Idaho dry farms will be producing
one good crop of alfalfa hay and one
crop OF seed and peas will be grown
plentifully enough to feed a large