SUGGESTIONS TO SETTLERS ON BEIJ.E FOURCHE PROJECT. 9 



The following varieties are suggested as being adapted to the 



region : 



Gooseberries. Downing and ITonghton; raspberries, Sunbeam (red) 

 and Cumberland (black); strawberries, Dnnlap and AVnrfield ; cur- 

 rants. Fay and Wilder. 



During the winter currants, gooseberries, and raspberries should 

 be laid down and covered for better protection from extreme cold. 



GARDENING. 



All vegetables of the northern latitndes can be grown successfully 

 on the project. AVhere irrigation is used, water should be applied 

 in the fall and the land plowed deep and left rough during the 

 winter. In the spring it should be double-disked and harrowed until 

 in the best of tilth. On dry land it is best to have the garden follow 

 summer fallow. Wliile this, of course, requires twice as much land, 

 it will be found to pay in the long run. The land to be summer- 

 fallowed might be plowed in the spring or fall before, but it "must 

 be iriven clean cultivation all summer so as to save all available 

 moisture for the next year's garden. It will be found much easier 

 to take care of a garden if the rows are planted 3i to 4 feet apart, 

 so that the horse cultivator may be used. As in all other cases, deep 

 and clean cultivation must be practiced. 



CONTROLLING THE SOIL MOISTURE. 



One of the most important physical factors in agriculture and one 

 which is to some extent within the farmer's control is the soil mois- 

 ture. Its proper use and conservation should always be kept in mind 

 whether the land is to be dry-farmed or irrigated. Irrigation insures 

 moisture at the time it is needed, but irrigation is often seriously over- 

 done. At least one irrigation can often be dispensed with to the very 

 great advantage of the crop by proper tillage in the spring to hold 

 the moisture already in the ground at the time of seeding. Grain 

 after it is well up can safely be harrowed with an ordinary steel 

 harrow with the teeth slanting Avell back. Harrowing of grain after 

 a rain loosens the soil surface, checks evaporation, and hastens the 

 warming of the soil, which is necessary to plant growth. 



By proper tillage both before and after seeding it seems highly 

 probable that grain can be matured ordinarily with but one irrigation 

 during the season. If grain has been planted deep with a grain drill 

 it can be harrowed, even when 5 to 6 inclies high, without serious 

 injury. It is always inadvisable to irrigate grain crops early in the 

 season unless it is absolutely necessary, and there will generally be 

 enough moisture in the gi'ound to give the plants a good start if the 

 spring moisture is properly conserved. Early irrigation, especially 



tCir. 83] 



