DRYLAND FARMING. 353 



Maize is not a particularly good crop in these areas. How- 

 ever, the flint varieties are more drought-resistant than the 

 dents, and may do quite well for ensilage purposes. 



Cowpeas, soy beans and tepary beans will often make a 

 good growth. Care should be used in green-manuring these 

 crops, as ploughing down a heavy growth may leave the ground 

 very open, and should a dry spell follow, an excessive loss of 

 moisture will take place by evaporation ; moreover, decomposi- 

 tion may be very slow. They should be ploughed down when 

 succulent and if possible when the ground is sufhciently moist 

 to ensure their decomposition. 



Cotton is fast becoming one of the most profitable and 

 reliable of the crops grown in dry land regions in South Africa. 



Conclusions. — The chief points in dry land agricultural 

 practice are : — 



1. Kraal or stable manure must be used carefully. Under 

 semi-arid conditions it often causes too luxuriant a growth, 

 resulting in the too rapid depletion of available soil moisture. 



2. Keep the ground in as receptive a condition for rain as 

 possible ; the surface should be more or less rough and a dust 

 mulch avoided. 



3. Destroy weeds. 



4. At the time of seeding prepare a good seed-bed to ensure 

 uniform, vigorous and early growth. 



5. Use seed from regions as similar as possible to the one 

 in which it is to be grown, i.e., " acclimatised " seed, 



6. Grow crops of quick maturity, low transpiration ratio, 

 and those capable of adjusting themselves to the available 

 water. 



7. If economically possible, gradually incorporate organic 

 matter in the soil, taking care to plough down the green crop 

 when succulent and when the soil is moist. 



8. If economically possible, correct any outstanding plant 

 food deficiency by the addition of mineral manures. 



9. Avoid heavy clays, light sands and shallow soils. The 

 most desirable soils are those which combine good depth with 

 strong and rapid capillary action. 



10. Plant with a wider spacing than for irrigated crops or 

 for those grown under humid conditions. 



