Campbell's 1902 Soil Culture Manual. 



35 



of extreme heat more frequent cultivation is necessary. If it is desirable 

 to put in spring crops, it is a good idea to thoroughly disc the ground as it 

 goes into the winter. Then use the Acme early in the spring, just as soon 

 as conditions will let you on to the ground, unless the ground has become 

 unusually firm by the heavy snows or rains, then it is advisable to use the 

 disc, lapping half. 



While this plan of summer culture seems to outline considerable 

 extra work over the old plan of summer fallow, it will be found the most 

 profitable part of the work. As we have pointed out under this heading, 

 and several others, the great question for successful crop growing is ample 

 available water during the entire growing season. The leading question 

 with the farmer is how shall he increase his crops. 



It is altogether too common an idea that the quantity and quality of 

 the crop depends upon the climatic conditions. There is no place in the 

 great plains country where this theory applies with less appropriateness 

 than in the semi-arid belt. The success of the farmer depend^ to a great 

 measure upon the quantity and quality of the grains and vegetables that 

 he raises. Under the ordinary plan of farming the expense of fitting, 

 planting, and cultivating is just the same whether you get fifty bushels of 

 corn or five bushels or none at all. While if we proceed properly our ex- 

 pense in the work is slightly more, possibly 50 per cent, more, but even 

 though it was double, and we succeed in getting twenty-five to thirty 

 bushels in seasons when our neighbors under ordinary conditions get five or 

 ten, does it pay? Again, if we are able to get sixty bushels of corn when 

 our neighbor gets thirty, does it pay? 



THE FARMER'SICAPITAL. 



The farmer no more than the merchant can succeed without capi- 

 tal. The merchant deposits his cash in the bank and draws upon it when 

 he needs it to take advantage of bargains or conditions. The farmers' 

 capital is the fertility of his soil, which is not available in any sense with- 

 out water. Therefore the farmer, like a good collector in business, should 

 catch the rainfall at every opportunity in all seasons of the year and store 

 it in the ground where it is available in time of need, providing he keeps it 

 locked in with the soil mulch. We need not mention here the long line of 

 troubles and disappointments that follow the failure of a crop, or the re- 

 verse when we succeed in growing a large crop. It simply resolves itself 

 into this. First, find out what to do, then find out how to do it, then do 

 it with all your might. There is no condition, position, or business to 

 which this rule will apply with more gratifying results than to the sum- 

 mer cultivation, and general care of the soils in the semi-arid belt. 



In the question of summer culture the main object is to store the 

 water, but this is not the only advantage gained. There are two other 



