86 DRY FARMING 



conserved in the soil is kept available, or at least not 

 rendered unavailable, are: 



(1) By not plowing under thick layers of dense grass 

 or other rubbish, unless time sufficient for its de- 

 cay is allowed before seeding the next crop. 



(2) By not plowing under a heavy stubble in fall or 

 spring unless the land is to be thoroughly com- 

 pacted so that the moisture in the subsoil may 

 rise into the furrow slice to meet the needs of the 

 crop. 



(3) By seeing that in all fall or spring plowing the 

 overturned furrow is brought firmly in contact 

 with the subsoil, so that there may be the least 

 possible interference with the free movement of 



. moisture upwards from the subsoil. 



(4) When applying manure, to put it on thinly and 

 firm the soil about it before crops are sown, so 

 that it will quickly decay and not interfere with 

 the movement of soil moisture. Coarse, strawy 

 manure and stubble are often worse than useless 

 until they have decayed, after which time they 

 exert a very beneficial effect on the moisture-ab- 

 sorbing and moisture-holding capacity of the soil. 



(5) By leaving the soil in such condition that the 

 seed can get the necessary moisture for germina- 

 tion without having to be sown too deeply. 



(6) By preventing the formation of a "hard-pan" 

 below the furrow or by remedying it if it is al- 

 ready there. 



56 The Efficient Utilization of Soil Moisture. The soil 

 moisture will be utilized most efficiently if three things 

 are done: (1) the supply of available plant food kept 

 up, (2) drought-resistant crops grown, and (3) suit- 



