THE DRY FARMING CONCtRESS. 



19 



that I cut the alfalfa too. After the second year, I have either disked 

 or harrowed it every spring. I had a fine stand of alfalfa. 



Alfalfa — Two Crops Annually. 



"I have had two crops each season. It averages two tons to the 

 acre a year, besides the fall pasturing. I should judge it is about twenty 

 feet down to water. The land is level with a black loam soil. It is 

 free from sand or gravel, I have been cutting it for eight years and 

 have a good stand yet. 



"In the older settled part of the state, lying east of the Missouri 

 River agi'icultural conditions are prosperous, and the farmers are 

 generally disposed to let well enough alone and to go on in the same 

 old way. In this section there has been for a number of years a favor- 

 able seasonal distribution of the rainfall and this in connection with 

 the excellent quality of the soil, has resulted in excellent crops.. Even 

 in this favored section the superiority of improved methods of farm- 

 ing can be seen in striking contrast when compared with old methods. 

 Live Stock on the Dry Farm. 



"A typical instance is that of Mr. G. H. CaiToll of Hand County. 

 He has a farm of twentyfive hundred acres on which he keeps from three 

 to five hundred head of cattle and about two hundred horses. He culti- 

 vates 700 acres, of which 160 acres are in corn and the balance in 

 small grain. Mr. Carroll came to Hand County with less than $1,000 

 capital, but with plenty of brains, muscle, energy and determination. 

 In addition, he is an advocate of scientific soil culture and a believer in 

 dry farming. 



Irrigation and Dry Farming. 



"I do not desire to go on record as an advocate of dry farming to 

 the exclusion of irrigation where the same is practicable. As State Engi- 

 neer of South Dakota my practical work is in connection with the use 

 and application of water for irrigation and other beneficial uses. Where- 

 ever practicable to do so it is advantageous to irrigate land and by such 

 means get the best possible results from the soil. There is, however, 

 a limit to the irrigable areas, even when every acre of irrigable land is 

 taken into account. Fortunately, in South Dakota we have not reached 

 this limit and there yet remains a vast amount of land subject to irriga- 

 tion. This land can still be obtained cheaply and there is room for 

 thousands of settlers who wish to take up irrigated farms, and I pre- 

 sume this is the case in other states of our great West. This condition 

 is shown by the immense irrigation projects undertaken by the Recla- 

 mation Service, also by those constructed under the provisions of the 

 Carey Act 



"But after every acre of available land is under irrigation there 

 will remain a vast area that will necessarily have to be cultivated 

 without irrigation, or with, at the best only partial irrigation. Multi- 

 tudes of people in the course of time will inhabit these lands and grow 

 crops thereon. 



