A Rainless Wheat 



seeding ; (4) drilling ; (5) frequent harrow- 

 ing ; (6) weedless lands ; (7) few varieties ; 

 (8) moisture-saving fallows. 



Moisture Fallows and the Soil-Mulch 



We believe that our success has been due 

 mainly to the use of moisture-saving fallows, in 

 which the rain is stored up in the soil for the 

 use of subsequent crops. The supreme need of 

 South African agriculture is not fertility but 

 moisture. Consequently, all our cultivation is 

 directed to establishing a moisture-saving fallow 

 which may be maintained for periods of three 

 months, six months, or one year. Such a 

 fallow is deeply ploughed in the first place, and 

 then kept constantly tilled to prevent the 

 formation of a soil-crust which would permit the 

 moisture to evaporate. This treatment results 

 in four things : (a) storage of rainfall ; (b) de- 

 struction of weeds which are moisture-robbers ; 

 (c) admission of sunshine and air ; (d) encourage- 

 ment of beneficial soil-germs. 



Messrs Russell and Hutchinson, of Rotham- 

 sted, recently demonstrated that intense sun- 

 light destroys those harmful soil organisms 

 which prey on the plant-food making bacteria. 



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