DRY-FARMING CONGRESS, WICHITA, 1914 



129 



or breaking. In the few cases where crops were sown on 1914 spring 

 breaking, the general result was what we always expect in a dry year — a 

 complete failure. 



In the year 1911 fall frosts came early and damaged the cereal crop 

 materially. In that year a dozen or more practices that tend to produce 

 early maturity were bought forcibly to our attention. Has the "year of 

 drought" left with us any such compensation ? The brief observations that 

 follow are offered in the hope that they may be of service to the men who, 

 on farms in dry areas, are endeavoring to do their part to lessen in the 

 future the serious effects of this untoward climatic condition. 



In the investigation field on the University farm, a piece of land was 

 fallowed in each of 17 different ways in 1913 and the yield of wheat ranged 

 from 16 bushels to 34 bushels, 20 pounds; the yield of oats from 28 bushels, 

 8 pounds to 58 bushels, 8 pounds; and the yield of barley from 10 bushels 

 to 34 bushels, 28 pounds, according to the tillage given. 



In the same field stubble land that had borne two crops after being 

 broken was tilled in the fall of 1913 and spring of 1914 in each of 33 dif- 

 ferent ways for the third crop. The actual yield of wheat on this land 

 ranged from 5 bushels to 23 bushels, 10 pounds; while the yield of oats 

 ranged from 15 bushels to 45 bushels, 10 pounds per acre, according to the 

 tillage method followed. 



The causes of the low yields in these cases were the same as those 

 that contributed to the low yields in the drier parts of the province. They 

 all trace back to the supply of available moisture in the soil. 



An analysis of the experiments indicated above forces us to the con- 

 clusion that certain specific tillage practices are desirable in those regions 

 where the supply of moisture limits the yield of crops. Among these may 

 be mentioned 



The Necessity lof Fallowing. 



The average yield of wheat on well-fallowed land was 30 % busHels per 

 acre, as compared with 16 bushels, 53 pounds on well cultivated stubble and 

 an absolute failure on spring breaking. 



Surface Cultivation Before Plowing the Fallow. 



A fallow plowed shallow early in the spring and harrowed before the 

 regular plowing, increased the yield of wheat 2 bushels, 2 pounds; the 

 yield of oats, 1 bushel, 22 pounds; and the yield of barley, 2 bushels per 

 acre; while double-discing early in the spring increased the yield of wheat 

 22 pounds; that of oats, 3 bushels, 10 pounds; and that of barley, 1 bushel 

 44 pounds over land otherwise similarly prepared. 



Early Plowing (of the Fallow. 



A fallow plowed June 1 produced an increase of 10 bushels, 24 pounds 

 of wheat; 12 bushels, 6 pounds of oats; and 11 bushels, 16 pounds of barley 

 more than a fallow plowed July 1 — while a fallow plowed June 15 produced 

 10 bushels, 20 pounds of wheat; 7 bushels, 10 pounds of oats; and 8 

 bushels and 28 pounds of barley more than a fallow plowed July 1, but 

 otherwise similarly treated. 



