286 



THIRD ANNUAL SESSIONS 



Dry Farming in California. 



"I merely menition these matters to you, although they are probably 

 not new, to explain the reason why perhaps you do not find as much 

 interest taken in the new agitation for dry farming in this state, as in 

 other states. Forty years' experience already had by us has fixed so 

 well, the dry farming practice that mo'st farmers think it idle to ^attempt 



Soil Treatment. 



to improve upon it; although perhaps the use of the sub-soil packer 

 mi'ght be advantageous. But, as with us the disk harrow and cultivator, 

 heavily weighted, are very commonly used to prepare the summer mulch 

 the object of the sub-soil packer is largely accomplished." 



[Your Statisti'can was born in California and his father was a 

 vegetable gardener in Sacramento valley from 1861 to 1866. Even in 

 that early day, moisture conserving methods were being successfully 

 used, and Oalifornia has certainly worked out methods well adapted to 

 her climatic and soil conditions, which her farmers have demonstrated, 

 are eminently successful, and made their state a pioneer in this so- 

 called 'dry farmng' movement.] 



(b) COLORADO. 



R. R. Lucore, of Arriba, says: "Lands here have grown crops with- 

 out irrigation for twenty-one years." 



Precipitation — Acreage Yields. 



Average ra^"nfall, 15 inches. He has grown crops in connection with 

 stock raising for -many years; crops of corn, cane, millet, spring rye, 

 barley, beans, potatoes and vegetables have been grown. Barley, rye 

 and corn seldom, if ever, fail, and yield from a few bushels to 35, and 

 barley as high as 45 bushels per acre. Potatoes are a pretty reliable 

 crop, yielding sometimes as high as 100 bushels. Stock farming — grow- 

 ing and feedi'ng up crops can be made a perfect success over all this 

 plains country. No moisture should be allowed to get away in weed 

 growth by the man who expects to make a success of grain farming. 



Soil Treatment. 



Ground should be plowed early — if possible fall plow— but too early seed- 

 ing, probably avoided. Enough surface cultivation should be given to keep 

 down weed growth. Keep seed bed in proper condition. "We must all 

 study to imjprove; better methods of farming must be practiced. I feel 

 that everyone should read Mr. Campbell's paper or other good litera- 

 ture on the subject. 



"Foreigners with experience, proper tools and power, will f^rm dry 

 land at $15 per acre profitably." 



Soil Treatment — Seed. 



C. S. Graves, of the same place, advises: "Use seed adapted to 

 the region. Practice deep plowing. Disk soil before planting. D sk and 



