176 MOZAMIUQUE 



We are, as a matter of fact, getting back to 

 the practice of our forefathers, with whoni the 

 bare-fallow held an indispensable place in the 

 rotation. They called it " resting" the land; and 

 often the land was left too severely alone, falling 

 under weeds, which of course transpire water also, 

 though not to the extent of highly developed 

 cultivated crops. Then came the modern farmer 

 with his fallow crop of turnips, which he fed off 

 with stock, confounding the old-fashioned bare- 

 fallow farmer, who had no theory with which to 

 back up his practice. In any case, with modern 

 mixed farming, provision had to be made for 

 wintering stock. In readopting the fallow, the 

 dry farmer, with a clear grasp of the function it 

 fulfils, is not content to leave the land to "rest," 

 but by frequent cultivation keeps down weeds, 

 aerates the soil, and maintains his mulch. 



Until dry farmers have proved what exactly is 

 the result of compacting the sub-soil, planters in 

 tropical countries should be cautious of making 

 it a part of their practice, especially in low-lying 

 lands, unless, indeed, nothing more is meant than 

 deep ploughing or disc harrowing, as explained 

 by some writers, though it is not quite clear how 

 harrowing or even ploughing can compact the sub- 

 soil. They incur the obvious risk of checking 

 drainage to the detriment of the crop. Frequent 



