Dry Farming in Western 

 Canada 



CHAPTER I. 

 THE DEVELOPMENT OF DRY FARMING 



Previous to fifty years ago lands having less than 20 

 inches of precipitation per year were generally con- 

 sidered unfit for crop production, except where artifi- 

 cially watered at great cost by irrigation ditches. Within 

 the memory of men now living, the practice of crop 

 growing in semi-arid regions, those receiving between 

 10 and 20 inches of .rainfall per year has developed, 

 until at present much of the so-called "dry land" of 

 earlier days is in many countries being successfully crop- 

 ped as a result of the intelligent application of success- 

 ful dry farming practices. 



One quarter of the earth's surface receives less than 10 

 inches of precipitation annually. Rather more than one- 

 quarter receives from 10 to 20 inches. On about one- 

 fifth of the land area between 20 and 40 inches falls and 

 on one-fifth between 40 and 80 inches, while the balance, 

 about 5 per cent, of the total, has a precipitation of over 

 80 inches per year. The climate of Western Canada falls 



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