141 



becomes what is known as "puddled," and then when 

 dried it becomes hard as brick, and a heavy rain is required 

 to even dissolve the lumps so that they may be pulver- 

 ized afterwards. 



SAVING THE MOISTURE. 



There are two vital points in regard to the success- 

 ful growing of crops in the western country. The first 

 is the importance of getting all the water possible into 

 the ground, and second, using every possible means to 

 conserve or retain it there. 



The importance, or value, of a little additional water 

 is shown by the effect of snow drifts that may form on 

 the field from any cause. The increased amount of moist- 

 ure that seems to find its way into the ground when the 

 snow melts invariably makes itself apparent in the grow- 

 ing crop as soon as a dry period begins to affect the crop 

 in the least. At these points the crop always holds out 

 longer, sometimes carrying the crop over to another good 

 rain, which results in maturing an unusually large yield 

 on these places, while the balance of the field will 

 not yield to exceed one-half to one-fourth the 

 amount. Thus a gain in yield of wheat of probably ten 

 bushels to the acre is the result of perhaps not over one- 

 half inch of additional water that had percolated into the 

 ground. The enormous evaporation from our fields under 

 favorable conditions is not in the least comprehended by 

 the average farmer because he has no means of readily 

 testing and proving. 



EVAPORATION DANGER. 



The danger to the farmer from evaporation cannot be 

 overestimated. Therein lies the whole secret of good 

 farming in the semi-arid region. If there was no water 

 lost or wasted the deserts would blossom. Under the 



