FIELD CROPS, 131 



These replies show that dry fiiriiiiuji has been practiced by these parties 9 

 years on an average, the time ranging from 1 to 25 years, and that the average 

 farm is 109 acres, with the range from 10 to SOO acres. The greatest number 

 favor a farm of 320 acres, but the average of the replies puts the area at 272 

 acres. The average rainfall as based on estimates and measurements given in 

 the reports is 13.2 in., the range being from 7 to 20 in. Practically all the rain 

 falls from May 1 to July 31. The following yields are reported: Wheat 21.G5 

 bu.. oats 33.7 bu.. barley 28.S3 bu.. rye 20.GG bu., spelt 30 bn., Indian corn 19.2 

 bu., potatoe.s 110 bu.. alfalfa hay 1.25 tons, timothy hay 1.5 tons, and rye hay 

 2.25 tons per acre. 



Most replies give fall plowing the preference over spring plowing, and seeding 

 with the press drill is advocated. While many of these parties crop the land 

 every year the consensus of opinion is in favor of using the moisture of 2 years 

 for 1 crop. 



Extracts and quotations from an article by W. S. Palmer on some climatic 

 features of the State and their relation to dry farming are also given in the 

 bulletin and the principles of dry farming are briefly discussed. 



Irrigation experiments at Bromberg, Gerlach and Kbijger {JaJirb. Dent, 

 handle. GcselL, 23 (190S), Xo. 4, pp. 664-675). — The results of one series of tests 

 conducted for 3 years showed that irrigation ga^-e satisfactory returns only 

 when the soil had been sufficiently fertilized. Mucli less water was required in 

 the production of a kilogram of dry matter in corn and oats on fertilized than 

 on unfertilized plats. 



An irrigation test with fodder beets sliowed that by the use of 200 mm. of 

 water before July 28 and of 100 mm. after that date, the yields of beets, sugar, 

 and dry matter on unfertilized soil were reduced 29, 28, and 31 per cent, respec- 

 tively, as compared with the unirrigated check plat, but that when 100 mm. of 

 water was used before and 200 mm. after July 28, the reductions were only 

 7. 6, and IG per cent, resijectively. On a fertilized plat receiving 200 mm. of 

 water before and 100 mm. after July 28, the yield of beets as compared with 

 the check plat was reduced only 1 per cent and the yield of dry matter onlj- 4 

 per cent, while the yield of sugar showed an increase of 4 per cent. On the 

 fertilized plat which received 100 mm. of water before and 200 mm. after July 

 28 the beets gave an increase of 10 per cent, the sugar of 17 per cent, and the 

 dry matter of 9 per cent. 



The use of water ranging from 5 to 12° C. in the ii*rigation of barley showed 

 that the water lowest in temperature had been a little more effective in increas- 

 ing the yield than warmer water. 



The irrigation of oats with different quantities of water applied in different 

 ways resulted in a marked increase in yield in every instance. Ap])lying the 

 water by sprinkling gave much more favorable results than furrow irrigation, 

 while flooding proved least satisfactory. In 1908, which was a comparatively 

 dry year, the use of the same quantity of water given in numerous small appli- 

 cations did not seem to have an advantage over the use of larger ai)plicatious at 

 longer intervals, but in 1907, a year of greater rainfall, numerous small applica- 

 tions gave the more favorable results. Increasing the application of water 

 from 140 mm. to 280 mm. gave only slight gains, and the use of only 70 mm. 

 I)roduced only an unimportant increase. The weight of the individual grains. 

 as well as the bushel weight, was greater with the irrigated oats than in the 

 case of the crop grown without irrigation, but the different methods of applying 

 water remained without effect in this regard. In the two tests in 1908, in which 

 the water had been used to the greatest advantage, sprinkling required 5()('> liters 

 of water to i»roduce 1 kg. of dry matter and furrow irrigation 825 liters, while 

 in 1907 the quantities of water so required were G98 liters and 1,052 liters, 



