Dry Farming A Guide For Farming Crops Without Irrigation In Climates With Low Rainfall And Drought

John Andreas Widtsoe demonstrates an immense knowledge of soil and farming conditions; much of the advice in this classic manual remains useful and relevant to this day. An excellent collection of knowledge is united in this guidebook, which commences by setting out the concept and core principles of dry farming. Much of the Earth is covered by land which receives only modest rainfall each year; coupled with a lack of an underground water source and/or water rights, many landowners found themselves having to grow crops with dry farming methods. Widtsoe was one such farmer, and his knowledge of the land's properties would prove decisive in his success. The properties and composition of the soil are crucial in deciding what crops to grow, making maximum use of limited water resources in an unirrigated plot by encouraging the soil's water retention, and sowing seeds with methods to maximize germination are all important aspects of running a dry farm.

John Andreas Widtsoe demonstrates an immense knowledge of soil and farming conditions; much of the advice in this classic manual remains useful and relevant to this day. An excellent collection of knowledge is united in this guidebook, which commences by setting out the concept and core principles of dry farming. Much of the Earth is covered by land which receives only modest rainfall each year; coupled with a lack of an underground water source and/or water rights, many landowners found themselves having to grow crops with dry farming methods. Widtsoe was one such farmer, and his knowledge of the land's properties would prove decisive in his success. The properties and composition of the soil are crucial in deciding what crops to grow, making maximum use of limited water resources in an unirrigated plot by encouraging the soil's water retention, and sowing seeds with methods to maximize germination are all important aspects of running a dry farm. Together with practical chapters on these and other subjects, Widtsoe keenly explains the history and evolution of dry farming techniques. Agricultural sustainability also features; combating unpredictable conditions, and the potentially devastating effects of drought (which Widtsoe renders in the literary form of 'Drouth') are also a prominent part of this book's explanations. Overall, this text maintains a relevance even in the face of enormous technological advancements in agriculture. Much of Widtsoe's knowledge is timeless, and his lucid explanations of the building blocks of farming stand as a good primer to new small-scale farmers, or amateur enthusiasts of agriculture.

Written by John Andreas Widtsoe, noted author, scientist, and an academic, this work is the first attempt to gather and arrange the known facts of science in their link to the production of plants, without irrigation, in areas with very little rainfall. The needs of genuine farmers have been kept in mind, those farmers who must first understand all the regulations, before their procedures can be completely satisfactory. It is hoped that the enlarging group of dry-farm investigators will also be helped by this representation of the principles of dry-farming. Widtsoe states in the preface. "The subject is now growing so rapidly that there will soon be room for two classes of treatment: one for the farmer, and one for the technical student." This book was written with help from large libraries, and the material was drawn from the available sources of that time. Widtsoe became the director of the Agricultural Experiment Station at Utah State Agricultural College in 1900.

Nearly 60% of the earth's land surface receives twenty inches or less of annual rainfall- a parched percentage predicted to dramatically increase as global warming takes its toll on our environment. John Widtsoe's classic DRY-FARMING: A Complete System for Achieving Bountiful Harvests Where Rain is Scarce, and Without Irrigation shares scientifically proven, time-tested - and almost forgotten in our era - late 19th and early 20th Century methods for growing more and better crops using far less water. The key lies in smart soil, seed and plant management, following the100% chemical free, Earth friendly, "origiganic" Dry-Farming techniques outlined in this book. From the backyard garden to the hundred acre farm, whether you already reside in an arid region, or just want to prepare for looming climate change, DRY-FARMING: A Complete System for Achieving Bountiful Harvests Where Rain is Scarce, and Without Irrigation is an indispensable addition to your homestead library.

Reproduction of the original.

The book now offered is the first attempt to assemble and organize the known facts of science in their relation to the production of plants, without irrigation, in regions of limited rainfall. The needs of the actual farmer, who must understand the principles before his practices can be wholly satisfactory, have been kept in view primarily; but it is hoped that the enlarging group of dry-farm investigators will also be helped by this presentation of the principles of dry-farming.