THE DRY FARMING CONGRESS. 



317 



Conservation of Moisture. 



The discussion of the quantity of water required by plants at once 

 impresses one with the extreme importance of conserving the soil mois- 

 ture. If there were no losses of soil moisture other than through the 

 plant itself, profitable crops could be grown over a very large portion of 

 New Mexico. But in fact, the most constant effort is required to pre- 

 vent the surface evaporation whereby a large portion of the rainfall is 

 dissipated without dol'ng a particle of good to the growing crop. 



Those crops that require the least amount of water to bring them 

 to maturity or that occupy the ground a short period of time, of course, 

 are best suited to semi-arid conditions, or nlay be most qui'ckly developed 

 into> strictly dry farming crops. 



Systems of Dry Farming. 



For convenience dry farming may be divided into three main sys- 

 tems: 1. Crops annually, — a system whereby a crop, whether heavy or 

 light, is grown every year. Probably crops may be grown every year 

 with say 18 inches of rainfall, provided the proper methods are followed 

 and the rainfall is property distributed for storage and cropping. 2. Crops 



Biennial Cropping. 



biennially — ^a system under which crops are grown only every other 

 year. In Utah yields of 30 bushels of wheat per acre have been ob- 

 tained every other year with an annual rainfall of 12 inches and good 

 crops biennially have been reported with an annual precipitation of only 

 eight inches. The soil was of an excellent character and the methods em- 

 ployed were up-to-date. 3. A modificiation or combination of the first 

 and second. Under this class may be mentioned the production of two 

 crops in three years, three crops in five years, or two crops in one 

 year, one being a catch or cover crop, sown for its effect upon the soil 

 or the soil moisture, to be plowed under before the regular crop is sown. 



The system chosen for any section must necessarily depend upon 

 a number of conditions, among which may be mentioned: The rainfall; 

 the distribution of the rainfall; the length of the growing season; the 

 general climatic conditions, such as the humidity of the atmosphere, the 

 number of cloudy and clear days, the day and night temperature, and 

 the windsweep; the elevation; the general aspect of the country and 

 the farm; the character of the soil and subsoil; the depth of the soil 

 and subsoil; the machinery available; and last but not least, the means 

 for the disposal of the products. 



Diversified Crops. 



There is quite as large a range for adaptation, ameliorat'on and 

 breeding with dry farming cropis as with those grown under humid con- 

 ditions. The necessity for such effort is far more urgent, and the re- 

 ward quite as promising. 



Crops must be selected or developed that will fit the environments, 

 and there seenns to be quite as large a field for investigation in the 



