SOME POINTS IN PRACTICE 



not low or stunted? It is not so much a 

 question of species as a problem of nor- 

 mal or abnormal growth. Certain trees 

 indicate good land provided they are of 

 normal growth. 



But the most essential point is to bore 

 to a depth of not less than five or six feet 

 in order to see what is the nature of the 

 subsoil. For in dry-farming the amount 

 of moisture which will rise to the plant 

 roots depends upon what sort of soil is 

 below and its depth. Gravel will effec- 

 tually hinder water from getting up from 

 below. Further, if the water-table (that 

 is, the point at which water is found by 

 digging) is too shallow, the roots will be 

 prevented from feeding properly and 

 may be drowned. For example, a water- 

 table of five feet is too little for al- 

 falfa (lucerne) though it would do well 

 enough for clover ; alfalfa should have at 

 least from ten to fifteen feet for its long 



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