The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-04-28

THE CUB SAYS
A few years ago there was an
agitation to have an experimental
station for dry farming established
at mile post IA on the Mackay
branch. Some Blackfoot men pro.
posed shipping pine logs from Island
Park for use in the construction oil
the house for the superintendent al
the station, and it was to be unique
and cozy, a cross between the Swiss
Chalet and the American bungalow
The work done on the farm was to
demonstrate just how to farm to
raise the most crops possible from
the moisture descending in the form
of rain and snow and from that
which comes out of the ground thru
the pores in the form Of sweat OF
the earth. A few men offered to
donate 500 apiece or a car load OF
pine logs or a dry farm harrow or
grain drill or sulky pillow, but the
effort finally failed and the station
in modified form was established
at Aberdeen.
A few hundred people are now
farming on the desert west of mile
post IA and in looking over the farms
it can be plainly seen that the differ
ent men are doing vastly different
farming. Some of them are doing
it in way to succeed; some are do
ing it in a way to fail. Each kind
of dry farming and near-dry farming
that we ever heard of is being dem
onstrated on the desert and we do
not need any demonstration station
or experimental farm to test results.
All it needs is for somebody to make
the rounds studying conditions and
reporting them as will be done by
Cub" Here are some of the OBJ
servations of the first trip this
spring:
Will Weiand has had a place near
mile post IA for seven years; has
had his family there two years. He
has tract of wheat but has not yet
narrowed it,, He says he knows it
ought to be narrowed to conserve the
but he has been doing some
work for other peple and will go to
narrowing as soon as he fulfills his
agreements with his neighbors. Mrs.
Weiand reports that they did not
have any luck with garden stuff. last
year but that they are going to try,
it again this year. Nothing has been
planted yet because the ground was
not plowed. They hope to get plow-
ing done for garden the first week I'M
May. They have recently had well
securing water at depth Of
lit feet. The water stands Is feet
deep in the well and is of excellent
quality.
G. b. Line is a lumberman and fac
tory man. He has been in Idaho
three years, working most Of the time
for The Idaho Lumber company at
Moore, Arco and Ririe. His family
have been on the dry farm the past
year. He has 100 acres Of land, SO
Of which is in wheat. He plowed it
about the middle of last May, har-
rowed 1t and let stock run ON it last
to keep the weeds down
and to keep up the dust mulch"
and thus preserve the moisture. He
drilled the seed wheat in 1t the mid
lie of September using As pounds per
acre. He began narrowing it about
the twentieth of April to loosen the
top of the ground and hold the mois-
ture. The soil was very mellow but
trusting, especially on the spots
where hardpan comes to the surface.
The moisture stood within an inch
Of the surface all over the field, and
reached to a depth Of about 20
inches. Mr.. Line advocates keeping
The harrow going sufficient to keep
he top soft, prevent crusting and
keeping the cracks filed or covered
% stop evaporation. Mr.. Lines crop
IS on the south side of the road, and
ne has charge of a tract on the north |
Tide where 1t was drilled much thick
,r and is to be narrowed after finish |
ng his own.
Norman Geyer lives west Of Mr..
inc. He brought his family there |
Xix years ago. Mrs. Geyer says she |
likes to go to church Sundays, but
hears a sermon now about every two
years. They expect to buy a car soon
Ind will coast into town and hear
| sermon and witness some of the
programs and other
Kings. It Is days drive now to
come in and back. They have a we'll
lis feet deep, plenty of farming inn
Elements all paid up, and have been
loing great deal Of blowing and
fallowing to get the soil in
for plant growth. Mr..
1eyer has been studying scientific
% r.r,ninr for vearc thru sIlch litara. L