FARMING ON DRY LANDS 37 



right time. Wheat sown on land that was plowed as soon 

 as the summer crops were taken off yielded a very much 

 larger return than wheat sown on land that remained un- 

 tilled for some time after the summer crops were gathered. 

 This difference in yield on lands of the same fertility was 

 due to the fact that the early plowing enabled the land to 

 take up a sufficient quantity of moisture. 



In addition to a vigilant catching and saving of water, 

 the farmer in these dry climates must give his land the 

 same careful attention that lands in other regions need. 

 The seed bed should be most carefully prepared. It should 

 be deep, porous, and excellent in tilth. During the growing 

 season all crops should be frequently cultivated. The har- 

 row, the cultivator, and the plow should be kept busy. The 

 soil should be kept abundantly supplied with humus. 



Some crops need a little different management in dry 

 farming. Corn, for example, does best when it is listed ; 

 that is, planted so that it will come up three or four inches 

 beneath the surface. If planted in this way, it roots better, 

 stands up better, and requires less work. 



Just as breeders study what animals are best for their 

 climates, so farmers in the dry belt should study what 

 crops are best suited to their lands. Some crops, like the 

 sorghums and kaffir corn, are peculiarly at home in scantily 

 watered lands. Others do not thrive. Experience is the 

 only sure guide to the proper selection. 



To sum up, then, farmers can grow good crops in these 

 lands only when four things are done : first, the land must 

 be thoroughly tilled so that water can freely enter the soil ; 

 second, the land must be frequently cultivated so that the 

 water will be kept in the soil ; third, the crops must be 



