236 MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



Early seeding should be the rule, so as to take advantage of 

 the moisture released when the ground thaws out and from that 

 furnished by early rains. The development of the native vegetation 

 is a good guide to the time for seeding. Broadcasting has no place 

 in dry land farming. It is a sure method of wasting seed and of 

 producing many weak plants. Some seed is certain to be put in 

 too deep and more too shallow. All seeds should be drilled and 

 great care should be taken that single seeds are placed at equal dis- 

 tance apart. In careless drilling, where seed is bunched, there is not 

 enough moisture to develop the plants, and the moisture in the 

 bare spots is wasted. 



Cultivation. Plowing is the most important factor connected 

 with dry farming operations. If the plowing is not properly done 

 an adequate water reservoir will not be formed in which to store 

 the rain or snow fall. Should this feature of the work be neglected 

 much of the rain and melting snow will run off from the surface 

 of the ground and be lost instead of sinking into the soil, there to 

 be stored. 



Plowing, if possible, should be performed when the soil is 

 fairly moist, so that it will come up mellow and can easily be leveled 

 and fined. Discing immediately after the crop is removed will aid 

 materially in this respect. The character of the soil and the season 

 of the year will largely determine the depth to which it is best to 

 plow. Usually the plowing should be from 8 to 12 or more inches 

 deep if done in the fall, obviously somewhat shallower if done in 

 the spring. 



The subsoil plow may follow the plow if after due trial upon 

 small areas it proves beneficial upon that particular soil and subsoil 

 and under the conditions prevailing. The plow should be followed 

 by the sub-surface packer, especially if the plowing has been very 

 deep. If a sub-surface packer is not available the field should be 

 run over with the disc set straight but well weighted down. The 

 sub-surface packer should be followed by the acme harrow or toothed 

 harrow, thus thoroughly pulverizing and fineing the surface so as 

 to form a good mulch and at the same time provide against any 

 surface run-off of the water that subsequently falls. 



The sub-surface packing and the formation of a surface mulch 

 should be performed each half day. If the soil is left loose and a 

 large surface exposed to the air for only a few hours, large quantities 

 of moisture will be evaporated, pass off into the atmosphere and 

 be lost to the crop. Success often lies in the proper performance 

 at the right time of these seemingly insignificant operations. 



The character of the cultivation practiced in the semi-arid belt 

 should be such as to put the soil in the best possible condition for 

 plant growth and at the same time conserve the greatest possible 

 amount of soil moisture. 



Experiments, often repeated, have proven that the evaporation 

 of moisture from a soil surface is least when that surface is least 

 exposed to the air. It follows, therefore, that any irregularities in 

 the surface increases the surface exposure, which in turn increases 



