34 DRY LAND FARMING 



obtained from dry farming. The alternate fallow and 

 crop system has been practised at that station since 

 1888 (see p. 392). 



It was in southern Alberta that the growing of hard 

 winter wheat under dry conditions was first introduced 

 into western Canada. Not greatly distant from the Rocky 

 Mountains, certain individuals have grown it there suc- 

 cessfully for two to three decades. 



Dry farming has been practised in certain portions 

 of Mexico for centuries. When first visited by the mis- 

 sionaries of the Catholic church certain of the Indian 

 tribes, especially those inland and in northern Mexico, 

 practised dry farming. The methods then followed had 

 evidently been practised during preceding centuries. It 

 is the only method by which a large part of Mexico yet 

 untilled can be reclaimed. The same may be said of cer- 

 tain portions of the Central American states. 



In South America dry farming is now being practised 

 both east and west of the Andes, and in states far to the 

 southward. In Brazil especially, dry farming promises 

 to be an important factor in the building up of that re- 

 public, which has a very large amount of arid and semi- 

 arid land. The annual precipitation in much of this area 

 is fairly liberal, but because of the heat, the loss of soil 

 moisture unhindered in its movements, is equally large. 

 Long centuries ago the inhabitants of Peru grew crops 

 by dry farming methods, and the same is true of Chile 

 and other states southward in the continent. 



Very large areas of Australia are now coming to be 

 worked on the dry farming plan. Two-thirds of this vast 

 area has a rainfall of less than 20 inches, and much of the 

 country lies under a tropical sun. In many sections the 

 rainfall is less than 10 inches annually. To no one of the 

 continents, therefore, are dry farming methods of so much 

 importance. The dry farming propaganda is being vig- 

 orously pushed in many parts of the country and the 



