134 DRY FARMING 



106. "Scrub" Land must be Treated Somewhat Differ- 

 ently. On land that carries a growth of bushes and 

 small wood, backsetting is seldom practicable for the 

 reason that the growth plowed under does not decay in 

 time to permit it to be backset. Under these conditions 

 very deep plowing followed by packing and thorough 

 surface cultivation is the best procedure. 



Early breaking on "scrub" land has all the advantages 

 of early breaking on prairie land, but because of the fact 

 that most of our "scrub" land is in the more humid 

 parts of the country or in areas of low evaporation, it- 

 is not essential that the plowing be done as early as in 

 the prairie sections. At the same time it is well to keep 

 in mind that the earlier the work is done the more moist- 

 ure there will be conserved and the earlier the rubbish 

 is plowed under the quicker it will decay and leave the 

 soil in good physical condition. 



107. Leave Breaking Uncropped until the Following 

 Season. In nearly all cases it will be found more profit- 

 able to leave the plowed prairie land uncropped until the 

 following year rather than to sow it the year it is broken. 

 If a man is beginning farming operations with little 

 capital and must have some cash return or grow feed 

 for stock in the first season it may be good business to 

 sow some crops on new breaking. This, however, 

 should seldom be practised in the eastern Chinook 

 region. It gives best results in the park belt and east- 

 ern portion of the prairie area. In any case the work 

 should be done early and well. The practice is risky 

 but occasionally results satisfactorily. It is not one to be 

 recommended in the drier districts because it fails too 

 frequently, and whether it fails or not, leaves the land in 

 poor condition for the next crop. 



