46 AGRICULTURE 



Production in the Great Plains" written by E. C. Chilcott, 

 Agriculturist in Charge of Dry Land Agriculture, J. 

 S. Cole, Assistant, and W. W. Burr, Assistant. This bul- 

 letin contains the results of a number of years' experiment- 

 ing in cultural methods at several of the dry-land farming 

 stations. 



3. Dry-Farming Practise 



The careless and shiftless methods employed in some 

 humid regions will not return a profit to the operator from 

 his dry-farm. The adoption of the best known methods of 

 managing the soil, planting, cultivating and determining the 

 crops to be produced are required. The dry-farmer should 

 be thoroughly trained if he would succeed. 



Principles involved. The success of dry-farming de- 

 pends on the use of methods that will eliminate unnecessary 

 and unprofitable labor, store moisture in the soil, keep it 

 there until needed by the growing crops, and then release it 

 to the roots of the plants. It is evident first of all that the 

 soil must be of such nature as will allow it to retain water. 

 Hence a gravelly soil is not well adapted to dry-farming, 

 while a clay loam is. The cultivation must be directed 

 chiefly toward preventing evaporation. The crops to be 

 grown must be selected (1) for their adaptability to dry- 

 farming conditions and (2) for their economy in the use 

 of water during the growing period. 



Plowing. Dry-farm land, many maintain, should as a 

 rule be plowed early in the fall, and to a depth of 8 to 10 

 inches. In case the subsoil is lacking in plant food the 

 ground should be plowed more shallow at first, then a 

 little deeper each year until a depth suitable to the locality 

 is reached. Some consider fall plowing to be important as 

 it allows the soil more readily to take in the winter moisture 

 and permits winter weathering, which improves the physical 



