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 United States Department of Agriculture, 
 
 BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY— Circular No. 10. 
 B. T. GALLOWAY. Chief of Bureau. 
 
 NOTES ON DRV FARMING." 
 
 By William M. .1 audi n i . 
 Agronomist in Charg\ of Experiments with Dry-Land Cereals, Grain 
 
 Investigations. 
 
 DRY-LAND AGRICULTURE IN MONTANA. 
 
 For the past three years the Montana Agricultural Experiment 
 Station, in cooperation with certain railroad systems, has been con- 
 ducting experiments in dry-land agriculture in various sections of the 
 State. One of the stations is located near Forsythe, in the Yellow- 
 stone Valley, aboul LOO miles east of Billings. I visited this station on 
 my way to Bozeman and found there some very interesting develop- 
 ments. Dp to the present time this particular section of Montana has 
 been devoted almost entirely to grazing. However, as a result of 
 the two crops harvested on this experimental farm, many of the 
 ranchers are now either selling out t * » prospective farmers or have 
 begun farming themselves. 
 
 The yields so far obtained there have been most satisfactory. Tur- 
 key Red wheal last year produced 58 bushels to the acre, while a num- 
 ber of other winter varieties yielded above 10 bushels. A- much as 2 
 tons of alfalfa ha\ has been harvested per acre; also 250 bushels of 
 potatoes, 60 bushels of oats, and other hardy crops in equally large 
 quant it ies. 
 
 'The altitude of this station is between 2,500 and 3,000 feet, and the 
 climate is much milder than that of the western Dakotas. The aver- 
 ige annual precipitation i- between L3 and \-< inches. Lasl year, 
 
 i lie observations contained in this i ai er are abstracted from n progress re 
 porl made during April of ihis year by Mr. Jardine, relating to farming in the 
 arid sections of Montana, L'tah, ai d Colorado. Mr. Jardine bas bad a long «'\ 
 perience in arid farming in L'tab from i">ih a scientific and a practical stand- 
 point. His bulletin ou Arid Farming investigations i N'o. 100 of the L'tah Agri- 
 cultural Experiment Station > Is t the !m>st valuable yel issunl on this sub- 
 ject. B. T. Gallow \"i . Physiologist uml Pathologist, and <l<i<j of Bun au. 
 14195 fir. 10 on 
 
2 NOTES ON DRY FARMING. 
 
 when the yields above mentioned were secured, there was little more 
 than 13 inches of rainfall. 6 to 7 of which came during the growing 
 
 o o o 
 
 season. 
 
 There is every indication that a large percentage of the tillable land 
 of eastern Montana heretofore. grazed will be brought under cultiva- 
 tion within the next few year-. Each month new settlers are moving 
 into this country. 
 
 My chief purpose in visiting Montana at this time was to begin 
 work on the Fergus County substation, recently established. The 
 first crops are to be seeded this spring, but owing to the lateness of 
 the season it was impossible for me to accomplish anything by 
 visiting the station itself; hence. I did not go farther than Bozeman, 
 Mont., where I met Professor Atkinson and Mr. Nelson, the two men 
 in charge of the work. Mr. J. S. Cole, recently appointed in the 
 Office of Dry-Land Agriculture Investigations, accompanied me and 
 remained in Montana to look after the spring planting. Our work 
 will be thoroughly established there this spring. We are planting 
 this year in plats and in the nursery a hundred or more varieties of 
 spring grains, and hope to secure considerable information that can 
 be used immediately to good advantage by the farmers, as well as 
 to accumulate data of value for the further and permanent improve- 
 ment of crops for this section. 
 
 The principal grain crop now grown here is wheat. The two main 
 varieties are Turkey Red winter wheat and Kubanka durum spring 
 wheat. The winter wheat i> preferable, as it yields 10 to -JO bushels 
 more per acre than the best spring wheat known. Various crops are 
 being introduced this year, looking toward the elimination of the 
 one-crop system of farming by substituting a variety of crops that 
 can be grown to advantage in rotation. 
 
 PLOWING WITH GASOLINE TRACTION EXOIXES. 
 
 While in Montana T had an opportunity to observe for the first 
 time a gasoline traction engine in operation. A 22-horsepower outfit 
 was at work plowing up sod land on the open prairie. I spent one day 
 following 1 1 i i — engine in order to collect reliable data on its perform- 
 ance. From the information obtained at this time, together with 
 that previously secured from reliable men who had had experience 
 with gasoline engines in plowing, 1 am convinced that it-- success is 
 practically assured. The gasoline engine is quite simple in its 
 mechanism and is easily handled, only two men being required to 
 operate both engine and plows. 
 
 This outfit had been running for ten days and had averaged dur- 
 ing that time a little more than 25 acres a day on heavy -oil. plowing 
 to a depth of 1 inches and turning it over in good shape. The cost, 
 
 [Clr. 10] 
 
NOTES OK i'i:\ FARM1 MG. 6 
 
 including labor, was aboul s <> cents an acre. The two young men 
 operating the engine were inexperienced hands, and yet everything 
 
 seemed to be moving -n thly. They informed me that they had 
 
 thus far met with no serious delays on account of breakages. The 
 contract price for 1 reaking sod land in Montana varies from >l to $5 
 per acre. It would require 25 horses and 5 men, at a cost of not less 
 than $3.50 to $4.50 per acn . to do the same amount of work per day 
 thai these two young men were doing with their engine. 
 
 The gasoline-engine proposition for plowing and other farming 
 operations is entirely feasible where farming is dune on a large scale, 
 luit it would not be practicable for the small farmer to own and 
 operate an outfit. However, a number of -mall fanner- could join 
 together in the purchase of an engine without involving themselves 
 a- heavily a- by purchasing the horses necessary to do the same 
 amount of work.' This method is followed in the West in buying 
 thrashing outfits and i- found thoroughly practicable. 
 
 If it i- possible to produce crops at a cost of $2 i,, si less per acre 
 by the use of gasoline engines on our dry farm- this method should 
 lie adopted. The saving would lie remarkable, especially where the 
 average yield of wheat per acre probably doe- not exceed 15 bushels. 
 Some 20 of these plowing outfits have been placed in Montana this 
 year, in my judgment the gasoline plowing outfit is here to stay 
 and will aid materially in the cheap production of farm crop- on our 
 dry land-. 
 
 DRY-LAND AGRICULTURE IN UTAH. 
 
 At Logan, Utah, I -pent one day at the Agricultural Experiment 
 Station and two day- visiting among the dry farmer- id' the Bear 
 River Valley of northern Utah and the Malad Valley of southern 
 Idaho. These two valleys oiler splendid opportunities to study dry- 
 land farming where it has been practiced for the last forty years under 
 an annual rainfall of less than 1:5 inches, with an average of less than 
 ."> inches during the growing season. ( renerally speaking, the farming 
 method- in tin- region are not above the average. Very frequently 
 the l.e-t of farmer- crop their land twice with one plowing, and only 
 occasionally do they rotate their crop- or summer fallow their Held-. 
 Mo i of them consider that they can make at least a good living if 
 the\ can he -ure id' L5 bushels of wheat per acre each year, a- they 
 figure that il does not cosl them more than S| an acre to produce 
 a crop. 
 
 Ai Nephi, Utah, where we are cooperating with the Utah Agri- 
 cultural Experiment Station this year, we arc doing more extensive 
 work with dry-land cereal- than at any other point. Mr. I'. I ). 
 Farrell is in charge of this farm and i- much interested in the work. 
 
 « In the West, 1,300 to 1,600 pound work bi from $200 to s:;oo each. 
 
 [Clr. i"i 
 
4 NOTES ON Dm FARMING. 
 
 We have planted at this station about all the varieties known to be 
 at all worth while and hope to obtain much useful information here. 
 Rust epidemics and insect pests are practically unknown in this 
 area. The only adverse condition with which We have to deal is 
 drought : hence, any variety found to be superior in yielding capacity 
 will indicate its ability for maximum production with a minimum 
 amount of moisture. "We have our work- so arranged as to he able 
 to watch the development of individual plants, and thus secure data 
 of a very reliable nature looking toward the development of new 
 types of superior quality. 
 
 DRY-LAND AGRICULTURE IN COLORADO. 
 
 In Colorado I visited the dry farm of Mr. E. R. Parsons, located 
 23 miles southeast of Denver, on the Colorado and Southern Railroad, 
 near Parker-. Mr. Parsons is a very intelligent Englishman, lie 
 came to this country from the Transvaal. South Africa, where he 
 had considerable experience in dry farming. lie has a commercial 
 orchard, which was set out in 1895. Mr. Parsons i- now independ- 
 ently wealthy, and T am informed that he has made nearly all of his 
 money out of his dry farm. lie say- that the success obtained in 
 producing crops without irrigation in eastern Colorado will depend 
 on the man. 
 
 Mr. Parsons has been living on this farm since 1886, and is there- 
 fore familiar with the whole of eastern Colorado and thoroughly 
 competent to speak intelligently on the condition- obtaining in this 
 part of the Great Plains. He states positively (and his farm will 
 bear him out in his statement-) that there is no sane reason why the 
 average farmer can not succeed on the plains of Colorado if he will 
 farm intelligently. 
 
 The orchard is planted on land sloping to the north and west. 
 The soil is a very heavy clay. It is 300 to 500 feet to water. The 
 annual precipitation averages about 13 to 15 inches. Last year the 
 precipitation was 13 inches. Five to 7 acres are planted to cherry 
 trees of the varieties Montmorency and Mofrello, which are now 10 
 years old. the first named being the most hardy and drought resistant, 
 and hence the preferable variety. Mi'. Parsons has secured from 
 this orchard on an average 1 crate of cherries to the tree during the 
 past three years, except last year, when they were frozen down at 
 the time all fruit was frozen in Colorado. He has about 120 trees 
 planted to the acre and receive- s:; a crate tor his cherries delivered 
 in Denver. lie also has about 1 acres of apple trees now bearing 
 fruit. The 10-year-old trees are bearing about 1 bushel- to the tree. 
 lie ha- more than 100 tree- to the acre, but has since decided that this 
 is too clo-e planting, and in hi- new orchard, recently set out. the 
 [Cir. 10] 
 
NOTES OS !>K\ i VRM IXG. 5 
 
 trees are placed about 10 feel apart, or30 trees? to the acre. The 
 Jonathan, Rome Beauty, and Ben Davis seem to be the most profit- 
 able varieties to grow in this particular locality. 
 
 In addition to his cherry and apple orchard, Mr. Parsons has I 
 acres of currant bushes of the London Market variety. These arc 
 planted s feet apart each way. During the past three seasons he 
 has taken from each of the 5-year-old bushes 1 gallon of currants, 
 realizing 1"> cents per gallon. In L90G Mr. Parsons realized in cash 
 from hi- orchard si. .Mm. This was in addition to fruit necessary 
 for home consumption and generous distribution among friends. 
 
 Considerable alfalfa, corn, ami wheat are also grown by Mr. Par- 
 sons; m fact, everything necessary t" feed his annual-. Ill- corn- 
 crib was filled with excellent corn, samples of which 1 brought to 
 the Department. This last winter he fattened l" 1 ' head of beef 
 steers on alfalfa grown on his farm without irrigation. IK' has 
 harvested each year from l. 1 , to % 1\ ton- of excellent hay to the acre. 
 Turkey Red wheat yielded him last year a little more than l<> bushels 
 to the acre. 
 
 During L907 .Mr. Parsons produced h> bushels of corn to the acre 
 on -oil land that was plowed '.' inches deep. This i- a little contrary 
 to the general belief a- to what can hi' done on sod land. The general 
 practice is to plow sod as shallowly a- possible, in order that it may 
 mi the heiier during tic summer. Mr. Parsons, however, in his 
 twenty years' experience on a dry-land farm ha- obtained far better 
 
 results by plowing the sod deeply. 
 
 Early Ohio potatoes have been found most profitable for hi- sec- 
 tion. The best yields are always obtained from this variety, planted 
 about April 1. 
 
 Mr. Parsons attributes hi- success i" the thoroughness with which 
 he cultivates hi- -oil. He never plow- his land less than '.» to 1-2 
 inches deep, whether it he -od or otherwise. This i- usually done 
 with a hand plow pulled by four large horses. Mr. Parsons doe- not 
 approve of the disk plow now so commonlj' used by our dry-land 
 farmer-. In this respect I heartily agree with him. Sod land es- 
 pecially should he turned over completely, in order that the -od may 
 rapidly and fully decaj and ai the same time serve a- a blanket to 
 retain the moisture that has fallen and accumulated in the -nil pre- 
 vious to plowing. Tin- can not he accomplished with a disk plow. 
 The disk twists and breaks up the -od. leaving ii in clod-, thus pre- 
 senting a very loose and uneven surface, which permits a U-r^ 
 circulation of air and thus fa\ or- rapid evaporation of moisture from 
 
 the plowed land. < )li the other hand, where the sod i- turned n\cr 
 
 completely the moisture is retained during the entire summer, thus 
 
 [Clr 
 
6 NOTES ON DRY FARMING. 
 
 enabling the fanner to prepare a favorable seed bed for planting to 
 
 winter grain — t lie crop that now predominates in eastern Colorado. 
 
 In this connection I may state that one of the greatest mistakes 
 
 new settler- are making in breaking up their land on the plains is in 
 the use of the disk plow instead of the moldboard breaking plow. 
 This is probably due to the fact that with the disk plow, which is of 
 somewhat lighter draft, the fanner can plow up his land more easily 
 and more rapidly. The results obtained from this hasty method are. 
 however, fully evident at harvesl time. In my judgment the use of 
 the disk plow should be discouraged. 
 
 Work at the Akron substation, Colorado, is progressing nicely. 
 Although the land was broken up for the first time last June, it is 
 now in fairly good condition. Winter wheat seeded in September 
 and as late as November came through the winter in good condition. 
 In most places there is a stand of 95 to 100 per cent. About a half 
 inch of rain fell there April L6. This practically insured a good 
 stand of spring grain. At the time of my visit. April 23, most of 
 the spring grain and all the winter wheat were up and showing a 
 strong growth. 
 
 From Akron along the Burlington Railroad en route for St. Louis 
 I observed many excellent fields of winter wheat. Considerable 
 farming is being done in this territory this year, and while the pre- 
 cipitation since February 1 has been very light the crops look prom- 
 ising, anil those farmers with whom I had an opportunity to talk 
 are very confidenl that this year will be a successful one. 
 
 Approved : 
 
 James Wilson, 
 
 Se< n ta 1 1/ of . Vgrh ulture. 
 
 Washington, D. ('.. May 15, 1908. 
 
 [Cir. 10] 
 
 O 
 
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