CHAPTER VII 

 PLOWING IN DRY AREAS 



In the cultivation of soils in the semi-arid regions 

 the plow in one or the other of its forms will always 

 have a foremost place. But that place will always be 

 less important relatively than in humid areas. In the 

 latter the plow is almost invariably used when preparing 

 the land for a crop. In the former the disc is very fre- 

 quently used instead of the plow after the land has 

 once been broken with the plow. 



Prominent among the objects sought from plowing 

 are: (1) breaking up the land to admit moisture and air; 

 (2) making a seed bed in which to plant the crop; (3) 

 cleaning the land. Other benefits follow, though not so 

 important, perhaps, as the former. Prominent among 

 these is bringing the land into that condition which 

 makes it possible to prevent the escape of moisture by 

 the nature of the cultivation given to it subsequently on 

 and near the surface. 



Much of the untilled area in the dry region is cov- 

 ered with a shrubby growth consisting mainly of what is 

 termed sage brush. This is so named doubtless from the 

 sage-like odor which escapes from the bushes and the 

 sage-like taste of the stems and leaves. Millions and mil- 

 lions of acres of land in the western states are covered 

 by those shrubs. They grow from the height of a few 

 inches to several feet, as many as five or six in some in- 

 stances. They usually grow at a little distance from one 

 another and some native grasses may grow between the 

 plants. The abundant presence of these plants is looked 

 upon as an indication of a fertile soil, and a tall and 

 vigorous growth in the same as an indication of rain- 

 fall more copious than the average. 



