Pullman herald. [volume], October 21, 1910, Image 7

About Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989

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F AKMIXO I* TDK
D COLUMBIA KIVER BASIN
D ,ron Hunter, Agriculturist, Uni
,i States Department of Agricul
ture, in Charge of Farm Manage
ment Investigations in Idaho, Ore
a nd Washington.
An address delivered at the Spo
kane Dry Farming congress.
We have met here as delegates to
this convention from several states
'nd nations with varied climatic and
agricultural conditions for the pur
pose of getting a broader vision of
me possibilities of dry farming. We
may get this vision by studying the
methods which have been developed
an the results obtained by others in
localities with which we are not fa
miliar. But in order to properly
interpret and profit by these results,
it is necessary to get a fairly clear
knowledge of the conditions under
which the work was done. It is my
purpose, therefore, in presenting this
subject to discuss (l), the conditions
under which and (2), some of the
most successful methods by which
dry farming is practiced in the Wheat
belt of the Columbia river basin,
This great, wheat belt includes .
portion of three states, Idaho, Ore
gon and Washington, It is almost
surrounded by mountains, which
greatly modify the climate. The
Cascade mountains He to the west;
the Coeur d'Alene and Bltterroot
mountains to the east; the Okanogan
highlands to the north; and the Blue
mountains to the southeast. The
elevation above sea level varies from
•' two to four hundred feet along the
Columbia river to as much as 3000
feet at several points near the moun
tains. The moisture bearing winds
* are usually from the southwest. As
they pass over the Cascade moun
tains they are depleted of much of
their moisture. This gives much of
the Columbia river valley in both
I Oregon and Washington a very dry
climate. The average annual precipi
tation along the Columbia river var
ies from 6to 10 Inches. This grad
ually Increases with the distance
from the river until an annual rain
fall of 24 or 25 inches is reached in
some of the farming districts having
the greatest altitudes. A distance
of only a few miles frequently makes
a great differem : in the altitude and
percipitation and, therefore, in the
agricultural possibilities.
The distribution of the annual pre
cipitation through the year has a very
marked influence upon the agricul
ture of any arid or semi-arid region.
Here In the Pacific Northwest our
wet season comes during November,
■ December, January and February,
the summer months being very dry.
In must, localities the precipitation of
May is usually a little more than that
of either April or June. This type
of rainfall is just the opposite of
that of the dry farming region east
of the Rocky mountains, On the
one hand it is quite wed! adapted to
the production of cereal crops, or
LTOps which mature early In the sea
son. On the' ' ' her, the long, dry,
Runnier season makes It difficult to
grow cultivated crops instead of sum
.mer fallowing. This is especially
Haie in our dryer localities when the
ii-iring and summer precipitation is
below the normal.
. Dry farming has been carried on
hi eastern Oregon and eastern Wash
iJJton for 30 to 40 years. As early
as 1839 there' was one grist mill in
the Walla Walla valley. In 1866
there were five. That year the wheat
yield of eastern Orego i and eastern
Washington, or the "upper country"
Is it was then called, was estimated
at one-half million bushels. Half of
'V is said to have been raised 'n
Walla Walla county. In the begin-
| ning only tin' creek bottoms and foot
hill land were thought adapted to
cultivation. The completion of the
Northern Pacific railway and the
Oregon Short Line during the 80
opened up transportation facilities and
Save the country Its first great agri
cultural Impulse.
While the better and more humid
localities were settled and brought
under cultivation first, the home
deader pushed agriculture back into
the dry region so rapidly that dry
'arming proper has been carried on
"Mte extensively in the states of Ore-
Sonand Washington for at least 25
fears. Beginning in those early days
*hh but few tools, the plow and the
"arrow, and a meager knowledge of
106 laws and methods of conserving
3011 moisture, our farmers have de-
Tel°ped step by step ln the school of
*Perience and efficient tillage meth-
Ms that are now used ln the Colum-
( river basin.
Cropping System.
1 A * first a crop was raised every
■P r In the better localities. Dlmin-
P* o yields and the appearance of
r*ds soon caused the settlers to
r^°Dt the summer fallow system.
I l ' system is practiced almost uni
|/ Sa'ly at the present time. Where
rainfall Is scant a crop is raised
7 other year, the land beltg In
crop one year and summer taliuweu
(clean cultivated) the next, la some
localities where the precipitation is
heaviest, two and three crops are fre
quently raked each time the land is
summer fallowed. Corn, bean*, and
potatoes are grown as cultivated
crops in a limited way in some of the
more favored districts.
The Two Extremes of Dry Farming
At the present time l be wheat belt
of the Columbia river basin presents
the two extremes of dry farming.
Beginning near the Columbia river,
on the one hand, where the pri imita
tion is but 6 or 7 inches ami where
the soil is light, deficient in vege
table matter and subject to drifting,
we have a condition which appears to
be beyond the limits of successful
dry fanning. In the higher alti
tudes, on the other band, where the
soil is a fertile silt loam and where
the precipitation is sufficient to grow
cultivated crops Instead of summer
fallowing, wo have conditions where
Intensive agriculture is possible, con
ditions that are scarcely proper to
designate as dry farming.
The Surface Run-off
As previously stated the most of
our annual precipitation comes during
the late fall and winter. While an
excessive winter precipitation is usu
ally considered indicative of a good
crop yield, It must be remembered
that much of the winter rain and
snow water is frequently lost by sur
face run-off. The warm Chinook
winds to which the Pacific Northwest
Is subject during the winter months
frequently cause a heavy snow to
melt very rapidly. If the ground is
frozen solidly at the time of these
rapid thaws, the soil can not take up
the water and much of it runs into
the ravines and is lost. When we
remember further that the crop can
use only that portion of the rainfall
that the 801 l takes up anil retains,
lessening the surface run-off by stor
ing the water in the soil becomes a
very important matter. From this
point of view the depth to which the
winter precipitation sinks in the soil
is the true rain guage for the dry
farmer. It is one of the best Indica
tors of the chances for a good crop.
Methods of Lessening the Surface
Run-off
In order to check the surface run
off the soil should go into the winter
in a loose, open, receptive condition.
Land that has produced it cereal crop
is put In this condition by fall disk
ing and plowing. Disking and plow
ing loos.'lis the surface soil so the
iter can penetrate it. The plow es
pecially leaves depressions in the sur
face which catch and retain snow
water v. hi 11 the ground is frozen.!
The stubble and other organic matter
are mixed with the surface soil.
This tends to keep the surface loose
and porous so that the ground will
not freeze bo hard as when it is com
pact. When treated In this way the
soil often thaws out quickly enough
to take much of the snow water. In
several Instances we have known the
moisture to penetrate twice as dee])!.'.'!
ly the first of February on land tiiat
was fall plowed as il aid on the samej
kind of land that was ne I plowed
Curly Spring Tillage Important
Another essential in dry farming In
the Columbia river basin, a matter
that Is not as universally appreciated
by our farmers as it should be, is
checking the loss of soil moisture by
evaporation in the early spring. As
soon as the frost is out of the ground
and the soil has settled and dried
sufficiently to permit of cultivation,
evaporation takes place very rapidly.
Unless there is an excessive spring
precipitation, or unless the surface is
cultivated, the soil remains in good
condition to plow for only a short
time. It then breaks up, in a very
cloddy condition. For this reason
the spring work, both seeding and
summer fallow tillage, should be
pushed with all possible vigor.
Summer Fallow Tillage
There are several quite distinct
methods of summer fallowing in use
among the farmers, most of which
have been practiced for a good many
years. In the absence of carefully
conducted tests extending through a
number of years to determine their
relative value, it ls not always easy
to say just what tillage methods will
give the best results under our varied
climatic conditions. The principal
objects sought In summer fallow til
lage usually are (1), storing the win
ter precipitation In the soil (2), the
conservation of the moisture accumu
lated during the winter and spring,
and (3). the eradication of weeds.
1. A Method for Clean Land
If the land to be summer fallowed
ls reasonably clean, excellent results
are obtained by plowing deeply ln
the fall. The ground is left rough
until spring, just as it comes from
the plow, so that It will be in condi
tion to rece,/e the winter rains. In
the early spring the surface is mulch
ed with the disc harrow or other
suitable tools. The mulch Is either
maintained throughout the season
and the weeds controlled by surface
cultivation or the land ls plowed shal
tow uunug May or Juno and then
surface cultivated.
-. A Method tor Foul Lund
\\ hero the soil Is literally full of
weed Md as much of our soil is, or
where a ■■•.• crop of weed seed has
matured ana fallen to the surface of
the ground, it is biles best to sur
face cultivate before the land is plow
ed deeply. Where dei plowing is
the lirst operation much of the weed
seed Is placed so far beneath the sur
face that it does nut germinate until
brought to tne surface again by sub
sequent plowing. The folio* Ingl
iueihod ...... soiuo variations is used
i»y many ol our most ...... situ] farm
ers;
When the laud to be fallowed is
weedy it may be either shallow plow
ed or disked In the fall after har
vesting the crop. The shallow culti
vation covers the weed seed and gives I
them a chance to germinate during
t
the autumn, it also breaks down
.iiiil covers or partially covers the
stubble. This forms a mulch that
Joes not crust easily, that takes up
the winter precipitation quite rap-
Idly, and that will prevent the ground
from freezing so hard during the
winter.
As soon as the soil is dry enough In
spring it is again cultivated by disk
ing am, l"UTOvving. This forms a
mulch tha. checks evaporation so
that the plowing can be delayed for ,
some time. The early surface culti
vation destroys the weeds that were'
started during the fall and brings
other weed seed into condition to
germinate. By establishing the
mulch early and delaying the plowing,
the moisture becomes better distrib
uted through the soil. This causes
the stubble to be turned under well
and the ground to plow easier and
more mellow than it would if plow-;
ed early.
From three to six weeks after the 1
surface is mulched the land is plow
ed. The surface weed seed having
been germinated, the plow kills a
crop of weeds ami turns comparative-!
ly clean soil Into the furrow. The 1
majority of farmers who disk in the!
fall or early spring before plowing,
follow the plow pretty closely with
the spike-tooth harrow. A few use
th.' subsurface packer as we shall ex-1
plain presently. For the rest of the
summer cultivation after plowing and
harrowing, some form 01 knife
weeder is generally preferred. The
knives slip under the surface and do!
not pulverize the surface so much at, 1
the tooth harrow, If the surface soil
becomes finely pulverized It Is likely
to puddle and get too hard during the
following winter, j
Where the soil is subject to drifting
when pulverized finely some prefer!
to use the Bpringtooth harrow mount
ed on wheels. This Implement can
be adjusted to cultivate the desired;
depth and the teeth bring the clods to
the surface, if tie surface is cloddy,
the soil will not blow so easily.
;.. 'The Use 1.1 the Subsurface Packer
Subsurface packers of the Camp
hell typo have gradually been gaining
in favor for several years. Land that
has just been plowed is loose and
.pen, containing many air cavities
1 l:is open condition permits the air to
circulate quite freely in the soil,
which dries it out quickly. If used
Immediately after he plow the sub
surface packer settles the soil, fills|
up he air cavities, and packs the
bottom portion of the Boil turned by
the plow. This lessens the circula
tion of the air in the soil and mater
ially decreases evaporation. Few
men who have properly and thorough
ly tested the subsurface packer are
willing to give it up.
Tillage for Spring Sown Cereals
In raising spring grain in the Col
umbia river basin it is essential that;
the seed bed be firm and compact and
that the seeding be done early. The
seed bed may be put in this condition
in many ways and with many tools.
A good method of procedure la as
follows: Plow six or seven inches
deep as early in the spring as the
soil Is in good working condition,
harrow immediately, drill in the grain
as soon as land is harrowed, follow
the drill closely with the packer (the
Corrugated roller, the Dunham rol
ler, or the Campbell packer), and
then harrow lightly. This will form
a compact seed bed that will hold
moisture well and In which the young
plants can root firmly. With the seed
In the ground, the packer presses the
soil around each kernel, placing It In j
condition to absorb moisture and ger
minate quickly. The final light har
rowing establishes the proper mulch.
If planted early on a well prepared j
seed bed the crop will be better able
to cope with the weeds. It will be
more likely, also, to mature early and
be out of the way when the hot winds
come.
Too frequently large areas are
plowed and allowed to He for some
time without further cultivation be
fore the seeding ls done. If the
spring happens to be unusually dry,
as it was last spring, the surface soil
dries out to such an extent that the
seed germinates poorly when lt Is
sown. Under these conditions a thin
stand and a light crop are tic results.
Cultivation of Spring and Winter
Cereals
There are two principal reasons lor
i cultivating cereal crops (1), to con
! servo moisture, and (2), to destroy
•i weeds. While the cultivation is
•usually done with the spike-tooth har
i row we have known the disc harrow
and the sharp corrugated roller to be
useu in the spring on winter grain.
1. Hurt-owing Grain When It Is
Germinating
As a rule winter wheat is not sown
until butiicient rain has come to start
' a goc/cl crop of weeds. These are
then destroyed and the grain sown.
! Liven with this precaution it frequent
ly happens that the surface soil will
bo teeming with young weeds by the
time the grain is germinating well.
These weeds are effectivly destroyed
by double harrowing a few days before
the grain comes through the surface'
at the soil, it is often possible, also,
, to destroy many weeds by harrowing
[spring sown grain when at the sumo
stage of germination.
ii. Cultivating Winter Wheat in the
Spring
Tin cultivation of winter wheat in
the spring ls frequently advisable.
The winter rains usually puddle and
pack the surface soil to such an ex
; tent that it becomes very bard when
it dries. Harrowing breaks up the
i crust and Conserves a great deal of
moisture by forming a surface mulch,
it also destroys a great many
weeds and gives the grain more room.
;$. Cultivating Spring Grain.
Beating rains sometimes puddle
I and crust the surface soil alter spring
grain has been sown. Under such
conditions the soil moisture that
should In used by the growing crop]
is lost very rapidly by evaporation.
This may be prevented largely by |
harrowing the grain to break the
I crust and re-establish the mulch. The
j cultivation may be done from the
; time the plants are well rooted until
i the grain is jointing.
While we think the cultivation of
■ grain in the spring is usually advis
able, there is at least one Injury that
j may result, especially to spring sown
i grain. The cultivation invariably de
j lays tin.' time' of ripening. Hot winds
not infrequently do considerable
damage to immature grain during the
I last of June and July. The cultiva
tion may delay the time of ripening
: just enough to cause the grain to be
shriveled.
Cultivated Crops Instead of Summer
Fallowing
i We have previously pointed out the
'difficulty of growing cultivated crops
instead of summer fallowing in a re-
I glon whose rainfall is scant and
: whose dry season comes during June,
July and August. Since a cultivated
; crop grown on stubble land must
, make Its growth from the rainfall
jof but one season, it is evident that
1 such crops must be given every pos
: sible advantage if satisfactory results
! are to be obtained. The preparation
i of the soil, therefore, should begin in
] the fall of the year. As soon as the
ground is wet enough it should he
plowed deeply. It should be left
rough just as it comes from the plow
, in order to catch as much of the win
ter precipitation as possible. In the
.early spring as soon a. the soil has
, dried sufficiently, the disc and tooth
harrows should be used to form a
mulch. In order to reduce the loss
of moisture to a minimum the mulch
must be maintained until time to
plant the crop. Farmers who use
I this or similar methods of preparing
1 the' land for corn generally raise pay
ing crops.
Corn has been condemned again
• 'and again because it has not been
;: given a "square deal." Too often
■ ; the corn land remains uncultivated In
> any way until the last of April or in
j May, I. c., until all of the other spring
! work Is done, when lt Is plowed and
i planted. Plowed at this late date
i the soil has usually lost so much
i moisture that no one who under
, stands the conditions would expect
i a paying crop. When we learn to
give the close attention to the grow
i Ing of cultivated crops that we do to
wheat raising, there will be some
hope of abandoning the summer fal-
I low system In much of the wheat rais
i Ing belt of the Columbia river basin.
aTIY THE
MjKEWRjgj
WESTERN MADE
Clear Havana Cigar
A Fragrant, Satisfying Smoke
AS GOOD AS ANY AND BETTER
THAN MOST HIGH CLASS CIGARS
NORTH PACIFIC SUPPLY CO.
302-303 PACIFIC BLOCK
Distributors
BRATTLE, WASH.
HOLLYHURST
(Copyright law by the Amencnn Humane l-'.l
ik,.tun, Society, nil rights reserved.) PublUbcd
by ct«t permlMton el the A merino HuuiHue
hilucutiuii Society.
CHAPTER X.
The Power of the Future
it is often possible to get a grain
of comfort from mishaps, and even
from misfortunes. The accident that
bad detained Miss Lydst it Holly
hurst had resulted In much enjoy
ment for Rose, md no Inconsiderable
amount, apparently, for herself. But
she was now improving so rapidly
that there seemed no reason for her
lining longer, and Mr. and Mrs.
Hibbard had driven over to take her
home. A pleasant interchange of vis
its and drives had, however, been
planned by the girls in the future.
Lad) Clare still remained lame.
Dr. Gardnt r thought it probable that
she would eventually recover, and
that she might be driven again with
safety as a carriage horse, but Mr.
I libbard had lost confidence in her.
"I shall not feel easy for the family
to go out with her again," lie Bald,
•l must dispose of her."
"Can't you make some use of her?"
suggested the doctor.
"I seldom drive myself, and 1 have
no work for her to do."
'Shall you i ell her?"
"1 shall try; but who will want a
horse that Is liable to run away?"
"1 cannot commend her. She may
do for a street-car hack."
"Oh!" said Reginald, who was
standing by, "Lady Clare high
stepping, spirited Lady Clare, —with
her arching neck, to be chained down
to a street car! it would break her
heart."
Mr. Hibbard smiled. "Reginald,"
he said, "I would gladly give the
horse to you, if 1 didn't Car that she
would break your neck for you soon
er or later."
"1 shouldn't be In the least afraid
to drive her," replied Reginald, "and
although she is not exactly a saddle
horse, 1 think I could ride her."
"You can manage her if anyone'
can, I don't doubt," said Mr. Hibbard.
Then turning to I>r. Gardner, "What
do vein say? Would you be willing for
him to have her?"
"I think so. Of course a horse that
has run away once is more Inclined to
do so again, but she might, not have
the same provocation."
"If any accident should happen
through her, I should In a meas
ure responsible. Isn't It too much of
a risk to take?"
"Not more, perhaps, than we might
take in buying one. I do not consider
her vicious or tricky."
"If you say see. it's a bargain."
"What do you Bay, Reggie?" asked
his father.
"I shall be delighted to have her
if I may— that is, if you ah- willing—
and Mr. Hibbard is to kind as to give
her to me."
"Well, take her and try her," said
Mr. Hibbard, "but don't lei Mrs.
Gardner and Rose go until you have
given her a thorough trial."
"We shall work her more than you
have done, —that is with Reggie's per
mission— and she may not get so fris
ky. Then we shall use neither check
rein or blinders."
"If after trying her you find she
isn't safe, dispose of her as best you
can. There are the street car compa
nies to fall back on as a last resort,"
laid Mr. Hibbard, smiling at Regi-
laid. "She can't do much damage
there."
Then do I understand she Is
mine'?" asked Reginald.
"She is yours."
"Hurrah!" said Reginald, throwing
up hie cap. "I own a horse; l thank
you very much, Mr. Hibbard. I must
go and tell mamma and Rose."
On the following Sunday they drove
to church as usual. As they drew near
to Fairmont, they noticed that the
s'reet cars were crowded with passen
gers. It was a bright, breezy, day
and people were going on various ex
cursions.
"Car horses work bard enough any
day," said Reginald, "but on Sun
days and holidays they appear to have
double work,"
"That is so," said the doctor.
"Think of Lady Clare with her im
patient temper and her ambition 'to
go,' having to be pulled up every
other minute for some one to get on
or off," exclaimed Reginald.
"I think if she had the power to
see such a future for herself," replied
the doctor, "she would prefer to
bring about another smashup, and
.■ml her life then and there.
"I wish the cars didn't have to
stop so often," said Rose, "the horses
seem to struggle and pull so hard
hen they start again."
"People might be much more con
siderate than they are about getting
on and off," said the doctor. "Any
person able to take a public car ought
to be able to walk a block or two.
Why shouldn't horse cars have cer-
tain walking places—say every other
stret, as some of the electrics do."
£68%
"I am glad the electric cars have
com* in." returned Mrs. Gardner. "I
can make one of a crowd now, with
out feeling unhappy, but I have
walked many a time in the past, rath
er than to put another hundred
pound! or more upon horses already
overburdened."
'Bicycles help very much, too, ma
ma. Horses don't have to work so
hard as they did," pleaded Rose.
"And Mr. Edison Bays there is a
still brighter future for them," said
Reginald. "He thinks that in 25
years from now electricity will take
tbe> place of horse power In almost
every sort of work, and that horses
will become pets and a luxuy."
"We make a great advance," re
vile.i ids father, "whenever we dis
cover and are able to control forces
not subject to pain and weariness, yet
powerful enough to do the work of
the world. Electricity seems to be
such a farce, and men are now turn
ing their attention toward another
which may prove more powerful
still."
"What is that?" asked Reginald.
"Compressed air."
"The air wo breathe?" Interrogated
Rose.
"The same air."
"1 il how do they use it, papa?"
"Store it up In batteries as they
do electricity. It Is not an entirely
new thing. Efforts were made long
ago to use this force. I believe that
in Europe cars havo been run by it
for short distances—six miles, per-
haps."
"If we can use air," said Mrs.
Gardner, "it would seem that we have
a power practically without limit."
"Yes, If we can find a way of stor
ing up enough of it. it has one ad
vantage over electricity, Storage
batteries for collecting It need not be
so heavy and cumbersome. Steam
was once considered the best power,
now electricity Is the. coming force,
but is not Impossible that compressed
air may be Ilm 'power of the future. "
Potatoes for Washington
The result of experiments mads
during the summer just passed on
potatoes grown at the Washington
State College is arousing a great deal
of interest among the farmers of the
Inland Empire. The results of the
experiments give the following:
Group of varieties that produce
new potatoes early and mature early
In the season are: New Queen,
marketable in 15 days, a good variety
to raise; Peck's Early, 78 days, good;
Pride of the South, fair; Iris Cob
bler, 80 days, good; Early Ohio, go
days, very good; White Ohio, 76 days,
fair; Six Weeks, 84 days, fair; New
Early Standard, 82 days, very good
early maturing; King of Michigan,
80 days, good for short season; New
Century, 80 days good for short sea
son; while' Star, SI! days, require
good soil and plenty of moisture;
Early Thoroughbred, 85 days, good
quality; New Climax, 80 days, good,
only small; Early Rose, 85 days, yield
changeable.
This group is of the varieties that
produce new potatoes and matim*
In early September; Sweet Home*
marketable in 8 1 days, good for semi
,i rid sections; Champions of tho
World, 80 days, very good Early
Excelsior, S1 (lays good tor light
soil'; Rural Red, SI days, quality
good; Crlne's Lightning, 80 lays, not
deflruble for market, good for homo.
White Victor, H7 .'ays, good . Early
Hamilton, 83 .lays, good quality;
White Rose, 75 days, fair
These for Early Spuds.
These varieties produce new pota
toes early, but mature very late:
Burpee's Extra Early, fair quality
and producers; Arcadia, fair; Rovee,
not extra for market; Ugonma, fair;
Crown Jewel, fair.
The following varieties were found
to produce good, marketable potatoes,
and ripen early in the fall. They
give much promise for 'he' Palouso
country and some parts of tbe Rig
Bend: American Wonder, White
Lily, Carman No. 1, Pink Eyed Seed
ling, Green Mountain, New Burbank,
Netted Gem, Sir Walter Raleigh, Ver
mont Gold Coin, Washington Wonder,
Other heavy-yielding varieties Ad
apted to eastern Washington, but
which require a long season, good soil
and a large amount of moisture are
the New Late White Nebraska, Bur
bank, Governor Folk, Peerless, Ross
Favorite, Rural New Yorker No. 2,
Snowflake Junior, Carman No. 3,
White Beauty, White .Mammoth,
North Pole Easterly, Harvest King,
Great Divide, North Pole Stinnett.
What is claimed to be the largest
individual sale of wheat ever made in
Walla Walla County or in the entire
northwest was made Wednesday of
last week when the Jones-Scott com
pany purchased from George Drum
heller 106,000 bushels of bluestem
and Turkey red, at figures said to be
80 cents In the warehouse. The
wheat was grown on the Drumheller
ranches near Rulo, Dry Creek and
Starbuck. The check Issued by the
grain firm was for $84,860.