404 DRY-FARMING 



the summers are dry, and the evaporation is large. 

 Senator Barnes purchased ninety acres of land in the 

 spring of 1SS7 and had it farmed under his own su- 

 pervision until 1906. He is engaged in commercial 

 enterprises and did not, himself, do anv of the work 

 on the farm, hut emjjloyed men to d(j the neces- 

 sary labor. However, he kept a close supervision 

 of the farm and decided u])on the practices which 

 should be followed. From se\Tnty-eight to eighty- 

 nine acres were harvested for each crop, with the 

 exception of 1902, when all l)ut about twenty acres 

 was fir(>d by sjsarks from the passing railroad train. 

 The ])lowing, liarrowing, and weeding were done A'ery 

 carefully. The complete record of the Barnes dry- 

 farm from 1SS7 to 1905 is shown in the tal)le on 

 the following ])age. 



The first ]>Iowing was given the farm in May of 

 1887, and, with the exception of 1902, the land was 

 invariably plowed in the spring. With fall plowing 

 the yields would undoubtedl}' have been better. 

 The first sowing was made in the fall of 1887, and fall 

 grain was grown during the whole period of observa- 

 tion. The seed sown in the fall of 1887 came up well, 

 but was winter-killed. This is ascril)ed by Senator 

 Barnes to the very dry winter, though it is probable 

 that the soil was not sufficiently well stored with 

 moisture to carry the crop through. The farm was 

 plowed again in the spring of 1888, and another crop 

 sown in September of the same year. In the summer 



