ARID AGRICULTURE. 181 



used, and for dry farming, thirty to forty pounds 

 of seed per acre. These figures are good average 

 amounts to use if sown with a press drill. If 

 necessary to sow broadcast a third more of seed 

 >hould be used. On rich lands with rotation and 

 irrigation, only thirty pounds of seed per acre of 

 spring wheat gives maximum yields. 



The time to sow wheat is as early in the 

 spring as the ground can be prepared and when 

 danger of hard freezing of the soil is past. The 

 seed should be drilled two to three inches deep. 

 Winter wheat may be sown any time in Septem- 

 ber if the ground is moist and the seed bed well 

 prepared. If the land slopes so much that it 

 \\ a>hes badly, the drill should be along the hill 

 in-read of straight up and down it, so the grow- 

 ing plants will check the force of water. 



IRRIGATION There should be sufficient moisture in the 



OP WHEAT so '} fo secure seed germination and to supply the 

 plants until they become well established. If 

 the ground is dry and there is not sufficient 

 spring rain, the land should be irrigated before 

 the wheat is planted. The plants should not be 

 allowed to suffer for water, but on the other 

 hand, it is better not to irrigate them until they 

 are five or six inches high or large enough to par- 

 tially shade the ground. Short, quick irrigations, 

 which soak the ground pretty well are better 

 than allowing the water to run too long. Gen- 

 erally, irrigation should be given when the plants 



