332 DRY-FARMING 



on the dry-farms. A homestead is possible only 

 where there is a sufficient amount of free water avail- 

 able for household and stock purposes. In the por- 

 tion of the dry-farm territory where the rainfall ap- 

 proximates twenty inches, this problem is not so very 

 difficult, since ground water may be reached easily. 

 In the drier portions, however, where the rainfall is 

 between ten and fifteen inches, the problem is much 

 more important. The conditions that bring the dis- 

 trict under the dry-farm designation imph-- a scarcity 

 of water. On f(>w dr5'-farms is water available for 

 the needs of the household and the barns. In the 

 Rocky Mountain states numerous dry-farms have 

 been developed from seven to fifteen miles from the 

 nearest source of water, and the main expense of 

 develoinng these farms has been the hauling of water 

 to the farms to supply the needs of the men and beasts 

 at work on them. Naturally, it is impossible to es- 

 tablish homesteads on the dry-farms unless at least 

 a small supply of water is available ; and dry-farming 

 will never be what it might be unless happy homes 

 can be established upon the farms in the arid regions 

 that grow crops without irrigation. To make a dry- 

 farm homestead possible enough water must be avail- 

 able, first of all, to su]3ply the culinary needs of the 

 household. This of itself is not large and, as will be 

 shown hereafter, may in most cases be obtained. 

 However, in order that the family may possess proper 

 comforts, there should be around the homestead 



