QUESTIONS 381 



land farming to conserve moisture. Some investigators believe 

 that cultivation to establish and maintain a soil mulch is not so 

 important a factor in moisture conservation as cultivation to 

 kill weeds. 



Use of Fertilizers. Since the soils in dry-farming regions are 

 generally rich, especially in the mineral elements, commercial 

 fertilizers have not been used. 



Crop Rotation. In general, little has been done in determining 

 proper rotations for dry-farming. A rotation of oats, corn and 

 wheat has been tried with good success in some sections. For 

 further information, see page 277. 



Stock in Dry-land Farming. Early dry-land farming was 

 devoted almost exclusively to the production of crops, especially 

 wheat. No thought was given to the maintenance of fertility. 

 Even now little attention is being given to maintaining the pro- 

 ductiveness of the soils. Semi-arid soils are rich in the mineral 

 elements, but are deficient in organic matter. It seems advisable 

 to introduce stock to utilize roughage, and especially to aid in 

 establishing crop rotation and in maintaining fertility. Thus far 

 dairying seems the most profitable type of stock farming. 



Good farming is as essential to successful dry-land farming as 

 it is elsewhere. Good farming means practicing the best methods 

 of producing the largest crops with the greatest net profits, and 

 leaving the soil in the best condition for the production of the 

 crops which follow. 



Dry farming projects may be conducted not only in regions of limited 

 rainfall but also in regions where there is danger of summer drought. Such 

 projects may include the growing of dry region crops, the practice of deep 

 plowing, subsoiling, sub-surface packing, maintenance of dust mulch, use of 

 other mulches, etc. 



QUESTIONS 



1. What is meant by dry-farming? Is this kind of farming of much import- 



ance? Why? 



2. Discuss the uniformity of climate and distribution of rainfall in the 

 . dry-farming regions. 



3. What is the important problem in dry-land farming? What is the mini- 



mum amount of rainfall necessary? 



4. Discuss the character of arid and semi-arid soils. 



5. Discuss the importance of the character of the subsoil in dry-farming. 



6. Have "iron-clad" farming methods been established for dry-land fanning? 



Discuss this point. 



7. Name some crops, that are especially well adapted to dry-farming. 



