Dry-Farming | Page 2

vision is heard the laughter

of happy children.
The desert will be conquered.
JOHN A. WIDTSOE.
June 1, 1910.

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
DRY-FARMING DEFINED

Dry-farming, as at present understood, is the profitable production of
useful crops, without irrigation, on lands that receive annually a rainfall
of 20 inches or less. In districts of torrential rains, high winds,
unfavorable distribution of the rainfall, or other water-dissipating
factors, the term "dry-farming" is also properly applied to farming
without irrigation under an annual precipitation of 25 or even 30 inches.
There is no sharp demarcation between dry-and humid-farming.
When the annual precipitation is under 20 inches, the methods of
dry-farming are usually indispensable. When it is over 30 inches, the
methods of humid-farming are employed; in places where the annual
precipitation is between 20 and 30 inches, the methods to be used
depend chiefly on local conditions affecting the conservation of soil
moisture. Dry-farming, however, always implies farming under a
comparatively small annual rainfall.
The term "dry-farming" is, of course, a misnomer. In reality it is
farming under drier conditions than those prevailing in the countries in
which scientific agriculture originated. Many suggestions for a better
name have been made. "Scientific agriculture" has-been proposed, but
all agriculture should be scientific, and agriculture without irrigation in
an arid country has no right to lay sole claim to so general a title.
"Dry-land agriculture," which has also been suggested, is no
improvement over "dry-farming," as it is longer and also carries with it
the idea of dryness. Instead of the name "dry-farming" it would,
perhaps, be better to use the names, "arid-farming."

"semiarid-farming," "humid-farming," and "irrigation-farming,"
according to the climatic conditions prevailing in various parts of the
world. However, at the present time the name "dry-farming" is in such
general use that it would seem unwise to suggest any change. It should
be used with the distinct understanding that as far as the word "dry" is
concerned it is a misnomer. When the two words are hyphenated,
however, a compound technical term--"dry-farming"--is secured which
has a meaning of its own, such as we have just defined it to be; and
"dry-farming," therefore, becomes an addition to the lexicon.
Dry-versus humid-farming
Dry-farming, as a distinct branch of agriculture, has for its purpose the
reclamation, for the use of man, of the vast unirrigable "desert" or
"semi-desert" areas of the world, which until recently were considered
hopelessly barren. The great underlying principles of agriculture are the
same the world over, yet the emphasis to be placed on the different
agricultural theories and practices must be shifted in accordance with
regional conditions. The agricultural problem of first importance in
humid regions is the maintenance of soil fertility; and since modern
agriculture was developed almost wholly under humid conditions, the
system of scientific agriculture has for its central idea the maintenance
of soil fertility. In arid regions, on the other hand, the conservation of
the natural water precipitation for crop production is the important
problem; and a new system of agriculture must therefore be constructed,
on the basis of the old principles, but with the conservation of the
natural precipitation as the central idea. The system of dry-farming
must marshal and organize all the established facts of science for the
better utilization, in plant growth, of a limited rainfall. The excellent
teachings of humid agriculture respecting the maintenance of soil
fertility will be of high value in the development of dry-farming, and
the firm establishment of right methods of conserving and using the
natural precipitation will undoubtedly have a beneficial effect upon the
practice of humid agriculture.
The problems of dry-farming
The dry-farmer, at the outset, should know with comparative accuracy
the annual rainfall over the area that he intends to cultivate. He must
also have a good acquaintance with the nature of the soil, not only as
regards its plant-food content, but as to its power to receive and retain

the water from rain and snow. In fact, a knowledge of the soil is
indispensable in successful dry-farming. Only by such knowledge of
the rainfall and the soil is he able to adapt the principles outlined in this
volume to his special needs.
Since, under dry-farm conditions, water is the limiting factor of
production, the primary problem of dry-farming is the most effective
storage in the soil of the natural precipitation. Only the water, safely
stored in the soil within reach of the roots, can be used in crop
production. Of nearly equal importance is the problem of keeping the
water in the soil until it is needed by plants. During the growing season,
water may be lost from the soil by downward drainage or by
evaporation from the surface. It becomes necessary, therefore, to
determine under what conditions the natural precipitation stored in the
soil moves downward and