176 DRY FARMING 



at a loss smaller than the cost of the fallow, it will event- 

 ually supersede the fallow. In the meantime two factors 

 must be determined for each part of the country, (1) the 

 relative yield on fallow and corn ground, and (2) the 

 relation of loss or gain on the corn to the cost of fallow- 

 ing. The method that gives the greatest net return should 

 eventually enter into general farm practice. 



If drifting soil interferes with the development of the 

 crop, then the drifting soil needs greater attention than 

 the fallow. Excessive harrowing should be lessened or 

 dispensed with altogether and 'organic matter', 'humus', 

 'root fiber', the substances that were in the land when it 

 did not blow, should be put back. To lessen blowing it 

 may be found advisable to grow a thin cover crop or 

 pasture crop on the fallow, to grow winter rye, or in ex- 

 treme cases, to seed the land down to hay. But after 

 any or all of these it will still be necessary to practise 

 summerfallowing or a modification of it occasionally on 

 our drier soils. 



The plowing under of ungerminated weed seed should 

 never be practised. Every effort should be made to 

 cause the early germination of weed seeds. Early fall 

 disking or shallow plowing will help to do this, but if in 

 very dry seasons the seeds do not start it would be wise 

 to delay plowing the fallow a short time in order to give 

 them opportunity to do so. If on account of the presence 

 of ungerminated seeds the plowing of the fallow be de- 

 layed, it should be disked and then plowed at a later 

 time. 



If the crop on fallow grows too rank and 'lodges' or 

 too late and suffers from frost, then one should con- 

 sider whether he should not fallow less frequently or 

 plow shallower or later, or whether the pastured fallow 



