DRY-FARMING CONGRESS, WICHITA, 1914 



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oration claims a high toll from the moisture falling on lands with but shal- 

 low preparation, before it has time to sink to a point of safety beneath the 

 surface. Deep plowing also encourages deep-rooting of plants, which is a 

 highly essential feature, if the crop is to withstand a drought. Early deep 

 preparation not only conserves moisture, thus fortifying against drought, 

 but also warms up the land two weeks earlier than spring plowing, and is 

 therefore ready to plant at any seasonable time. 



Humus. — In nearly all dry-farming districts, the vegetable matter or 

 humus content of the soil is deficient. It is on account of the lack of this 

 matter, that many soils run together, or become puddly, which is a serious 

 objection and a detriment to gardening. Soil o| this character is dead. It 

 apparently has no life in it. It does not work well. Its moisture holding 

 capacity is poor. Its plant food does not readily become available. In 

 fact, it is not in condition for gardening at all. Under garden conditions, 

 this vegetable matter content of the soil should be increased largely, by the 

 addition of well decomposed manure. To plow under green wheat or rye, 

 or better still, green cowpeas, will be found most excellent. Under dry- 

 land conditions, without irrigation, this vegetable matter must be added 

 in small quantities, care being exercised to avoid excessive application at 

 one time. This manure should be well mixed with the soil, rather than 

 plowing it under in layers that are likely to break the capillary connection 

 between the upper and lower soils. The fall and winter seasons will be 

 found to be better for this working in of vegetable matter, in connection 

 with the deep early plowing. 



Soil Selection. — Soils that are at least slightly sandy, will be found 

 much better for garden than those that are "tight." "Tight" soils are great- 

 ly improved through the addition of several loads of sand. 



Avoid Plant Crowding. — One of the first essentials to a successful 

 dry-farm garden, next to the proper preparation of the seedbed, and 

 where it is impossible to irrigate, is that all plants must be given plenty 

 of space. To crowd the rows, or the plants in the rows, is to court failure, 

 and practically to assure it, in advance. For all ordinary garden truck, the 

 rows should be sufficiently wide apart to admit of cultivation with the com- 

 mon farm cultivator. 



Seed. — Great care should be used in the selection of seed, especial at- 

 tention being given to their adaptability to prevailing conditions. In prac- 

 tically all dry-land districts, the early and medium early strains are more 

 perfectly suited or adapted, than are the later maturing varieties. 



Hotbed. — The hotbed is indispensable both as a producer of plants for 

 transplanting, and also for furnishing the table with such vegetables as 

 early lettuce, radishes, greens, onions, etc. It is in the hotbed that the 

 early cabbage, cauliflower, and tomato plants will get from five to eight weeks 

 the start of those coming from the seed, in the open ground. The early 

 tomato plants can be ready to bloom by transplanting time, then by setting 

 them very deeply, giving plenty of space in addition to pruning them to 

 from one to two stalks to the plant, not only an early but large crop will be 

 assured. 



