DRY FARMING CONGRESS. 37 



family. In newly settled regions this is largely a matter of guess work, 

 since not enough crops have been grown on the different types of soil to 

 determine what they are best suited for. 



Almost everyone who has to form an opinion of the value of a tract 

 of unbroken land is guided more or less by the character of the native vege- 

 tation which covers it. The kind of plants present and the luxuriance of 

 the growth they make are often the best possible indicators of the texture, 

 moisture-holding capacity and fertility of the soil beneath. There is great 

 possibility of going astray, however, in classifying land on this basis. Often 

 two species of plants resemble each other so .closely that an untrained ob- 

 server will take them to be the same, while in reality they are entirely 

 different and are indicative of very different soil types. 



On the other hand, a certain plant may in one region indicate one type 

 of soil while in another locality where, let us say, the climatic conditions 

 are different, the same species occur abundantly on quite a different soil. 



Evidently careful investigation is necessary to work out an accurate 

 method of classifying soils on this basis of the native growth. Work along 

 this line has been started by the Bureau of Plant Industry and the results 

 obtained during the past season indicate that it w411 be possible to work 

 out a reasonably accurate method which will prove very useful in classify- 

 ing land. 



Dry-Land Alfalfa Experiments. 



As is the case under irrigation, alfalfa is one of the most if not the 

 most important crops for use in dry-land farming. Experiments are being 

 conducted in both the Great Plains and the Inter-mountain areas to de- 

 termine the proper rate of seeding, the best methods of soil preparation and 

 subsequent cultivation. A number of very drought-resistant strains of alfalfa 

 are already in use. These have been originated chiefly through unconscious 

 selection in the dry farming centers of the Great Plains area and Utah. 

 Especial emphasis is being placed in these investigations on the dry-land pro- 

 duction of alfalfa seed. Breeding and selection work is also being carried 

 on in the hope of securing still greater drought resistance. 



Dry- Land Grazing. 



Great attention is being given to securing drought-resistant varieties and 

 strains of the important grain crops. This Work is being developed along 

 two lines, namely by introduction from the Old World and by selection 

 and breeding. The most important introductions which have been made 

 are the Durum wheats, which grow throughout our dry-land areas. Emmer, 

 an important dry-land grain in Russia, is being carefully studied, as are the 

 numerous varieties of sorghum, many of which are especially drought re- 

 sistant and yield excellent crops of both grain and fodder. 



Very truly yours, 



(Signed) JAMES WILSON, 



Secretary. 



