DRY FARMING CONGRESS. 



107 



addition to poor seed, should he plant noxious weeds, there is sure 

 to be long continued vexation and loss. On the other hand, if he should 

 pay 25 per cent more for an absolutely reliable seed, the difference in ex- 

 pense gives him insurance, which will, one year with another, return 

 many fold. 



One of the basic principles in dry farming is the maintenance of a 

 surface soil mulch. In general it may be said small seeds should be 

 planted as deeply as can safely be done. This will be governed very 

 largely by the condition of the soil. Where the press drill is used small 

 seeds like alfalfa can be planted shallower, as the compacting of the soil 

 helps bring the moisture around the seed, and therefore insures its ger- 

 mination. Perhaps the mistake more generally made in depth of plant- 

 ing is getting such seed as alfalfa too deep. One cannot apply the same 

 rule to all conditions. I have known of one instance where a man who 

 had planted his potatoes eight inches deep secured an excellent crop. 

 This was done near Greeley where the average depth of planting is four 

 inches, and undoubtedly there are many soils where planting deeper 

 than four inches would result in a partial or total failure. Absolutely 

 no rule can be given which will govern the amount of seeds per acre to 

 plant in order to obtain the best results. It is always safe to recommend 

 a minimum amount of seed either where the soil moisture is small in 

 amount or fertility is low. The size of seeds vary in wide limits. There 

 will be twice as many germs in a pound of one variety of wheat as there 

 will be in another; again, there are some wheats like the drouth resist- 

 ance sorts, which produce few or no tillers, while another variety may 

 have 90 stems on a single stool. If soil conditions are right, and the 

 seed bed in perfect condition, 99 per cent of the seed planted may ger- 

 minate. On the other hand in a poor seed bed, perhaps less than half 

 of the seed will grow. 



Every crop used by the dry farmer should receive that treatment 

 which best conserves the moisture. Small grains, alfalfa, corn and po- 

 tatoes, may be and should be cultivated with the harrow or weeder. If 

 I had a choice of the two I would usually select a weeder for this work. 

 The weeder with wheels and lever can be made to do better work than 

 the harrow; that is, two horses and a 12-foot weeder perhaps will not 

 cultivate quite so much ground as a three-section steel harrow with four 

 horses, but will pay the best on account of doing more effective culti- 

 vation. 



To sum up the discussion of the treatment of drouth resistance crops, 

 we should first plant those which have acquired the quality of drouth 

 resistance. Second, use the best seeds or plants, and third, give them 

 that cultivation which will most effectually prevent the unnecessary loss 

 of moisture. 



MR. BELLISTON: The gentleman stated that he had raised va- 

 rious kinds of fruit without irrigation. I would like to know about the 

 annual precipitation in that district. 



DR. COOKE: Fifteen inches. 



