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increased, mainly because of large, mechanized farm implements. 

 However, the diverse characteristics of soil, subsoil, substrata, 

 and surface and subsurface hydrology do not conform to these regular 

 patterns. On larger fields especially, these land features,, many of 

 which determine the potential for seep development, are not consistent. 

 Applications for controlling seep may be necessary and effective in 

 one part of a field, yet unnecessary and ineffective or even counter- 

 productive in another. For example, a field might cover both a 

 recharge area and a discharge area with varying soil moisture content 

 and water table levels throughout; a deep-rooted perennial would be 

 effective where the water table is deep and surface moisture deficient, 

 but annual cropping to small grains may be more productive and equally 

 as effective where surface moisture is adequate. 



In short, farmers may not be able to continue imposing 

 conventional field geometry and still hope to solve the problem of 

 saline seep. They may need instead to adapt more closely to the varied 

 capabilities and constraints of the land, which in some areas may mean 

 smaller fields, fields of irregular shape, both of these, or possibly no 

 farming at all. They may also be unable to continue present monocultural 

 cropping practices. Farmers, in certain situations, should be willing 

 and able to crop not only cereal grains but also grasses, legumes, or 

 whatever else may be suitable. 



