22 
Bulletin 103. 
6. How do your farmers conserve this moisture? 
7. What tools are used in doing this work? 
8. What crops have proven most successful for you? 
9. What yields are obtained? 
10. What literature can you cite me to for information on the 
thorough tillage system of farming under semi-arid conditions? 
The answers received from these questions show that semi- 
arid farming, where irrigation cannot be practiced, is now being 
carried on with some degree of success in eastern Washington and 
certain portions of Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Cali¬ 
fornia, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. 
The reply letter from Prof. E. E. Elliott, Agriculturist at the 
Washington Experiment Station, located at Pullman, Washington, 
gives us the farm system which eastern Washington farmers have 
followed for several seasons quite successfully. 
Pullman, Washington, June 14, 1905. 
Dear Sir: 
Replying to the questions in your letter of June 8th, I will make the 
following answers: (1.) One-third of the State of Washington is available 
for dry farming and a very large part of it is now under cultivation. In 
using the word “dry farming,” I refer to agricultural operations outside of 
irrigation. (2). This part of Washington is by far the most fertile and pro¬ 
duces the largest crops in the State except those under irrigation. It is 
largely devoted to the culture of the different grains and embraces the fa¬ 
mous wheat region of eastern Washington. (3.) It is the general practice 
to summer fallow for fall grain, a crop being produced by this means every 
other year. Many of our progressive farmers are trying to introduce other 
crops to take the place of the summer fallow in the alternate years. (4.) 
Probably the best preparation of the ground under the summer fallow sys¬ 
tem is to plow it in June and cultivate thoroughly throughout the season. 
By this means the moisture is conserved and the seeding can begin much 
earlier in the fall. (5.) The average rain fall throughout the semi-arid 
regions of this State where farming is practiced, runs from 12 to 23 inches. 
You will understand, however, that through part of this region the condi¬ 
tions for conserving this moisture are very favorable, owing to the nature of 
the soil. Successful crops of grain are being produced where the rain fall 
is as low as ten inches. Since much of our wheat is grown from fall sown 
crop and the greater amount of the moisture is precipitated during the 
winter and spring months, there is little difficulty in conserving a sufficient 
amount of the moisture to produce a crop, and it is rare that a failure oc¬ 
curs from the lack of moisture. (7.) The tools employed for cultivating 
the plowed ground are the common harrow used everywhere, although 
specially designed tools intended to destroy wild oats are coming into gen¬ 
eral use. (8.) This question is answered by question one. (9.) The 
yields of wheat range from 20 to 50 bushels. Oats, from 50 
to 90, and barley slightly less, while rye is grown almost entirely for hay and 
that in the extremely dry sections. (10.) I regret that we have no liter¬ 
ature that would be of much service to you on this subject. 
Thanking you for this inquiry, I am, 
Very truly yours, 
E. E. ELLIOTT. 
Mr. F. M. Gum and Mr. W. L. Putnam, special students in 
Agronomy for spring term of 1905, assisted me in preparing these 
questions and carrying on the correspondence. The replies which 
they received are hereby acknowledged: 
Prof. J. H. Shepperd, Dean of Agriculture, North Dakota. 
