THE DRY FARMING CONGRESS. 



281 



" 'Scientific Editor of The American Boy.' 



"That is only one of many letters being received from publishers 

 throughout the United States, and we have evidence all the time of an 

 intense interest manifested among readers of the newspapers, magazines 

 and agricultural publications, because editors are writing for copy from 

 all over the United States. They want articles written along practical 

 lines and not theoretical articles as to what dry farming may do. As aa 

 earmark of what Chicago publishers think of this movement we find that 

 The Chi'cago Tribune, for instance, has sent a representative who has re- 

 mained through all of the sessions of this third Congress. The Associated 

 Press is taking thousands of words daily out of this Congress, and, I am 

 informed, that Mr. Hearst has asked for a page magazine article on the 

 results of this Congress. The Hearst syndicate has been taking articles 

 daily during the past three weeks as a result of the agitation. I merely 

 mention this to show to what extent the sentiment is growing as a result 

 of the careful study given to this subject." 



GOV. BROIOKS (presiding) : "Is there anything further on the Sec- 

 retary's desk, Mr Burns?" 



AMERICAN IRRIGATION FEDERATION. 



MR. BURNS: "There is a letter from the American Irrigation 

 •Federation, which is as follows: 



" 'Trans-Missouri Dry Farming Congress, Cheyenne, Wyoming. 



" 'Gentlemen: Very sincere are my regrets at not being able to attend 

 the Congress, but I assure you that I trust it will be none the less useful 

 and instructive. While, as you know, I am connected more with irrigation 



Experiment Stations. 



than dry farming; for years I have advocated government experimental 

 stations in the arid and semi-arid non-irrigable sections of the west. 



Seed Breeding. 



" 'New methods of farming tend to conserve moisture, and to benefit 

 growing crops where rainfall is light, but I think that another element rs 

 of more Importance. By selection of seed grains products may be de- 

 veloped that will withstand reasonable drouths, new forage plants be 

 introduced, and old ones improved that will increase the pasturage ca- 

 pacity of the range. Mr. Luther Burbank has developed a spineless cactus 

 that will prove a wonder worker in some parts of the west, and there 

 are many other possible discoveries that will eventually wipe out the 

 desert and fill the now arid wastes with homes. 



Government Co-Operation. 



" 'The federal government should aid in this work to a far more liberal 

 extent than has heretofore been done. Experimental and demonstration 

 farms should dot the entire west. As shown by Mr. Burbank, there are 



