Foreword. 



The purpose of this volume is to furnish 

 plain fact< in a plain way about the practice of 

 agriculture in the AIUI) RKGIOX. Whatever 

 its shortcomings, the reading matter here pre- 

 sented is new and original. It has been carved 

 out of a quarter century of experience, observa- 

 tion and study in the dry part? of the West. Xo 

 attempt has been made to compile scientific data 

 or write a cyclopaedia. We have tried to present 

 enough of the practice and underlying principles 

 of arid farming to enable any intelligent man to 

 "make good" 1 on a Western farm. 



We feel that this book will, in a measure, 

 meet a "crying need of the hour." The West is 

 now rapidly settling up with new farmers and 

 new stockmen whose measure of success is pro- 

 ])orti< ual to the quick and reliable information 

 they are able to obtain. Books on agriculture 

 written from the view point of the farmer or sci- 

 entist in the humid Ka*t. generally are good 

 bonks, but they do not supply the arid farmer 

 .with the most important facts. In the present 

 book we try to give some idea of soil tillage and 

 crop production in the Arid Region. Our admi- 

 ration is great for the men who are unselfishly 

 helping to solve We-'ern farm and ranch prob- 

 lems, and we invite kindlv criticism of the fol- 



