The gazette-times., January 14, 1915, HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION, Page 13, Image 19

HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
13
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Progress of Dry Land Farming j
tr
THE Idea that dry-land farming Is
of modern origin baa a very ex
tensive belief. Such a view is
far from the truth. It gained cur
rency because of the fact that this
process was not extensively prac
ticed In Canada or the United States
until within the past two decades.
But even on this continent, Individual
farmers have practiced dry-land farm-
nig metnoas for the last 40 or 50
years, but In a way so quiet and un
obstrusive that none but their neigh
bors knew about their operations.
The facts are, however, that dry
land farming has been practiced more
or less since the dawn of history.
"With the exception of Egypt, where
irrigation was extensively practiced,
all, or nearly all, the great nations of
antiquity rose to eminence in areas
where the rainfall was so slight that
dry-ifarmlng methods must have been
practiced. Much of the area ruled by
the Assyrians and Babylonians was
dry. The same is true of much of
India anl rtiina with their teeming
populations. The same may be said
of Eastern Central Europe and West
ern Central Africa.
In Tunis, in North Africa, the coun
try can be farmed only by dry-farming
methods, and yet In the early cen
turies of the Christian era, Tunis
furnished to Rome Immense quali
ties of wheat and olive oil. Remains
of granaries now stand on sandy
wastes monuments of dead agricul
ture. Large areas of Southeastern
Europe were not furnished with. an
abundant rainfall any more than they
are at the present time, which means
that dry-farming must have been
practiced there in ancient times. The
Indians of Mexico also practiced dry
farming In the dry area of that coun
try away back in the long forgotten
centuries. The truth Is, that in all
the past more than half the area cul
tivated has been farmed more or less
on the principles whidh underlie suc
cessful dry-land farming.
Area Dry-Land Farming Covers.
With reference to this question the
people of Canada and the United
States are only concerned with the
respective areas in these countries,
which, if farmed at all must be
farmed on the dry-land plan. Of
course It Is not possible in the pres
ent state of our knowledge to define
exactly the areas that must be farmed
by dry-land farming methods.
The records of the precipitation in
many of these areas have not so far
been recorded. It would, however,
be approximately correct to say, that
In Western Canada there are not
fewer than 100,000,000 acres of
arable land that must bo farmed
more or less on the dry-land' plan
If it is to be farmed successfully.
This will Include certain areas In
Southwestern Manitoba, still larger
areas In Southern Saskatchewan, and
yet larger areas In Southern Alberta.
In the United States the area that
can only be farnred on dry-land farm
ing principles covers parts of 14
utates, all of which lie west of the
Mississippi River. The dry-land area
In these covers not less than 300, 000,
000 acres. It was formerly range
pasture land, but in the not distant
future the present indications point
to the fact that it will be farmed by
dry-farming methods. This means
that an area six times as large, as the
State of Minnesota, which formerly
produced grass only, will soon be de
voted to growing large quantities of
grain.
What Pry-Land Farming Moans.
With reference to precipitation,
countries are classified as arid, semi
arid, sub-humid and humid. A region
may be classed as arid when the an
nual rainfall or precipitation is less
than 9 Inches. It may be classed as
semi-arid where the precipitation Is
between 9 and 18 Inches, as sub-humid
where it is 18 to 27 inches, and
humid where it is more than 27
Inches. It is not to be understood
that grain crops may not be grown
when the precipitation is less than 9
Inches on the average. Under these
conditions, however, such farming
becomes hazardous in the absence of
Irrigation. When the precipitation
runs from 9 to 18 inches, grain crops
cannot be successfully grown save by
dry-farming methods. With 18 to 27
Inches of rainfall good farming should
Bucceed fairly well every year. When
the rainfall Is above 27 InchPs grazing
lands may be benefited by the heavy
precipitation, but seed time and bar
vest are very liable to bo Interrupted
by an over-abundant supply of mois
ture. The heavy precipitation also
carries much of the soluble plant food
In the soil down into the drainage
water where It is lost to the crops.
About 20 inches Is Ideal In a moder
ately cool climate, when much of It
falls during the period of growth In
the crops.
Dry-land farming does not mean,
of course, the growing of crops with
out precipitation, or even without
several Inches of rain, nor does it
mean the growing of as wide a range
of crops as may be grown in the same
areas when it may be supplemented
by Irrigation. But it does mean the
growing of certain crops successfully
that could not be thus grown by the
ordinary methods of farming as prac
ticed in humid or sub-humid areas.
It is a more difficult kind of farming
than the other. It does not mean
that a man who follows it Is follow
ing a line of farming in every sense
so desirable as where the rainfall is
ample. But it does mean that a good
living may be obtained from a farm
of suitable dimensions in dry-land
areas, when the work is intelligently
done.
Influences on Dry-Land Fanning.
The influence that affect dry
land farming include: (1) the amount
of the precipitation; (2) the time of
the precipitation; (3) the character
of the soil, and (4) the nature of the
temperature. The amount of the pre
cipitation has already been referred
to. When the bulk of the precipita
tion falls during the growing period
the benefit derived from it is greater
than when much of It falls in the
Winter season. In Canada and the
United States, east of the Rocky
Mountains, the bulk of the rain falls
In May, June and early July, then
is when it Is most needed. In some of
of the inter-mountain districts it is
more evenly distributed. Still far
ther to the west It falls chiefly in the
late Fall, Winter and early Spring.
Where it falls during the period of
growth, Spring crops may be success
fully grown, and In some areas also .
Winter crops. Where the precipita
tion comes mainly in the late Au
tumn, grass and fodder plants not
only supplies fodder for stock, but
also Improve the texture of the soil.
While this Is true, no farmer
should neglect a more or less fre
quent Summer-fallow; forit Is ques
tionable whether the moisture of the
soil will be conserved and weeds kept
in check without this useful system
of farming.
Let me point out that mixed farm
ing does not mean that the settler
should confine his attention to any
one particular line of livestock. This
should be left largely to the tastes
of the farmer, as some will succeed
best with cattle, others with horses,
and a third, perhaps, with sheep or
swine. No matter what line is fol
lowed it will be found that the keep
ing of stock will prove beneficial both
to the soil and to the pocket of the
farmer.
It is hoped that the demonstration
farms will have considerable Influ
ence upon this phase of farming.
Every effort will be put forth to ac
complish this Ideal method of assur
ing a safe revenue and one that can
not be irreparably affected by ad
verse climatic conditions. Country
Life In Canada.
Avoid Silo Accident.
By observing three simple rules,
the farmer who Is using silo filling
machinery for the first time may
avoid some of the accidents which oc
casionally damage new machine! be
yond repair.
Here are the things that the Inex
perienced man should do:
1. Be sure that the macUine is
being run at the proper speed.
2. Take care that corn is never
put into the machine unXil the motion
Is up to full speed.
3. In stopping be careful not to
shut off the power until the elevator
is empty.
If the elevator is not empty the cut
material will fall back and lodge In
the fans. Then when the machine is
started again the cut corn jams the
fans and' as a result they are bent or
broken.
Some men spend so much energy
bustling around thinking they are
hurrying like everything that they
have little strength left for work
which counts. Hold up, fussy brother.
Put a steadying hand upon yourself.
Cool your radiator little. Come
down to intermediate speed. No use
to wear out your gear and get no
where, either.
Every time you buy
from advertisements in
this paper you help to
make a better paper.
WE ARE SO SURE
OF THE
QUALITY
. OF
Gold Shield,
Goffe
e
That we ask you to give Gold Shield a
trial, feeling that you will then insist
on Gold Shield when
buying coffee.
SCHWABACHER BROS.
& CO., Inc.
Importer! and Roasters of Coffee
Seattle, Wash
77,. .J
Get Your
keCanadian Home
from the,
"-Canadian Rarifir
VWIIWMIMII VS1I I V
KcMMWtjf
IImvjcI
ON'T waste your time and money on worn-out land that
is high-priced simply because it was owe worth its
present price! The richest virgin soil is waiting for you
In Manitoba and the Alberta-Saskatchewan district
You can buy it for practically the same price per acre
that the mere manuring per acre of soil in many parts
of the U. S. costs! Fertile Canadian West offers you not only toil
cf wondrous productivity, bu t it also oilers you a splendid climate,
churches of all creeds, splendid public schools, exceptionally good
mcrkets. fine hotels and transrjortation facilities that are unexcelled.
We have a truly splendid proposition to make to anv earnest farmer or to
men who wish to farm and who are sincere in their desire to sell It In this country.
We actually are In a position to enable you to tmm 10 acres for every acre thai
you now own or farm and every acre here will produce doubii what worn-out
acre produces anywhere. On top"of that, wc give yon
?A Yart tn Paw fnr Iff You gain the land for from $11 to fW per aero, la,
6V ICal IV ay iur u 1,,0,, aistrlcts the price Is from 135 to 15.
You pay merely one twentieth down. The balance Is split up into 19 equal pay
ments. The farm will more than meet the payments and your family's living ex
penses, Canadian Pacific farms pay for themselves over and over strain be for
the time the last payment falls due. We can refer you to uera of farmers who
paid for their farms with the proceeds of just one crop!
You Are Loaned $2000.00 to Pay for Farm Improvements!
Hera la land adapted to grain growing, to poultry raising, dairying, mixed
farming and to cattle, bog and sheep raising. Vou decide for yourself what kind
of farming you wish to follow. The Canadian Pacific helps you select the land
best adapted to your purposes. And then. If you so desire it, we arrange to have
Your Farm Made Ready by Experts t8L 3
an expert on (he case and select Ihi farm that will txacltt suit you Me one that
you can farm to most advantage to yourself Let us tell you abont the OO.OOO.OOJ
bushel crop la Canada this year I Wilts for Handsomely Illustrated Books,
Address
L. O. THORNTON
DISTRICT ItEPREBENTATIVB
811 Pine Street (Multnomah Hotel Bldg.), rOMTI.AND. OR,
"KING OF THE WOODS DRAG SAW
With or Without Bun Saw Attachment
Will taw 20 to 40 cords of wood per day at cost of
$1.00. PULLS ITSELF np the Deepest HILL and
over the toughest ground. Costs lets than other I
One man writes he sawed 56 ricks in 10 hours.
Another sawed 40 cords in 9 hours. There's
mora you ought to know. Write (or FREE cat
alog eontainins full descriprion with tohmonialsl
from enmutiaiuc users, wmic i wn , .
IhnteJ
mm
Light Your Home With a Magic Light
At Less) Cost and Danger Than Oil The Tiidci ground System.
SUNSHINE AT NIGHT IX EVERY llOOH Gaa for Cooking. Let US Tell
You All About It. A Postcard Brings Full Information.
THEDA BROS, CO., !3 Dekara nnlldlnir, l ortland, Orejro.