THE DRY FARMING CONGRESS. 



113 



of the soil moisture. We will deal with the latter problem only, in this 

 discussion. 



Government Co-Operation. 



"A considerable part of the figures given here, are the result of 

 work in which the Sub-Station and the office of Dry Land Investigation 

 are co-operating. Prof. E. C. Chilcott and Dr. L. J. Briggs represent the 

 department in this work. Mr. W. W. Burr has had immediate charge 

 of the soil moisture work. 



Conservation of Moisture. 



"Some of the most important questions, as well as the most easily 

 demonstrated, have been answered by the work at the Sub-Station. For 

 example, the results show clearly that by summer tilling, sufficient 

 moisture can be stored in the soil to assist greatly in the growth of the 

 crop, and that summer tilled land produces remarkable yields of small 

 grain. 



Average Yields. 



"In 1907, four and one-half acres of summer tilled land produced 

 59 bushels per acre, while the field adjoining, which was not summer 

 tilled, produced 24.4 bushels per acre. All conditions except the tillage, 

 were the same. Two fields on the table land were seeded to winter 

 wheat in the fall of 1907. One field had been summer tilled. The other 

 had produced 59 bushels of wheat per acre during the season. The har- 

 vest of 1908 showed that the summer tilled field produced over 57 bushels 

 per acre, while the other produced less than 21. 



Effect of Summer Fallow. 



"There were two fields on bench land during the same season. The 

 surface of the bench land is 30 feet above the sub surface water. One 

 of these fields — eight acres — was summer tilled. The other field — five 

 acres — produced a crop the season previous. The eight-acre field gave 

 57 bushels per acre from 16 one-half acre plats in variety, rate of seed- 

 ing and the time of seeding tests. The other field yielded 29 bushels per 

 acre. The lowest yield of any half acre plat in the former field was at 

 the rate of 53 bushels, the highest at the rate of 66.9 



Results of Methodical Work. 



"We have some striking yields from different tillage in the season 

 of 1908, with Durum wheat, oats and barley. The yields are for only one 

 season, and therefore can be taken only as showing the great variation 

 that may be produced in the yield from adjoining plats, because of a 

 difference in tillage. These yields are from one-tenth acre plats on table 

 land, not influenced in any manner by sub-irrigation. 



Government Co-Operation. 



"There are a few of the plats in the series of co-operative tests being 

 carried on by the Sub-Station and office of Dry Land Investigation in co- 



