GROWING ROOTS AND POTATOES 167 



The root action of the winter greens also facilitates 

 drainage, and between this and leaf evaporation one 

 would be safe in saying that by cropping a field with 

 winter greens we rid the land of about the equivalent 

 of 12 inches of rainfall. 



It is scarcely necessary to point out, further, how 

 ridding the land, prior to the spring tillage 

 operations, of this amount of moisture facilitates 

 soil cultivation and crop-saving in a wet spring. 



DRYING EFFECTS OF WINTER CROPS 



So marked is this drying effect of winter crops that 

 in the districts of low rainfall, if the crop is not 

 consumed by the end of March, the land is so dry 

 that the tilling may have to be delayed. This is a 

 matter which requires individual attention on the 

 part of each farmer, and a study of the average 

 monthly rainfall in his district will be a great help. 



One would imagine that this drying effect might 

 mitigate against the success of the succeeding summer 

 crops. Such, however, is not the case if a little 

 judgment be used. The root action of the winter 

 crops breaks up the soil particles in a most marked 

 manner; hence a finer tilth is procurable on the 

 cropped as compared with the uncropped portion. 

 In other words, quicker tillage is possible, and the 

 repeated turnings over of the soil in a dry spring are 

 avoided. 



This helps to conserve soil moisture, as does also 

 the finer tilth. The finer the soil particles the more 

 retentive of moisture is the soil. 



Whilst it is possible to greatly reduce the cost of 

 production of roots in the manner indicated, under 

 no circumstances would the writer recommend the 



