180 DRY LAND FARMING 



barley, oats and vetches ; of these rye will best meet the 

 hazard incurred from late sowing, because of the su- 

 perior power which inheres within the grain itself to re- 

 sist vicissitude. 



The sowing of winter grains possessed of sufficient 

 hardiness to enable them to withstand the winter condi- 

 tions may best begin in the northern areas of the semi- 

 arid belt in early August. As the latitude grows less 

 the time for sowing is later. To sow unduly early there, 

 are the following objections: (1) The plants may under 

 unusually moist conditions reach the jointing stage at 

 too early a period. (2) The autumn growth may exhaust 

 the energies of the plant to such an extent that the growth 

 the following spring is less vigorous than it would have 

 been had such exhaustion not occurred. (3) Fn the case 

 of wheat, the hazard may also be incurred of attack by 

 the Hessian fly. 



The chief objection to late sowing lies in the haz- 

 ards to which the young plants are exposed and which 

 they cannot resist as stronger plants would. These haz- 

 ards include: (1) Freezing through the intensity of the 

 cold. (2) Destruction which may come to the plants 

 through exposure to cold winds following quick removal 

 of a snow covering. (3) The loss of the plants while 

 the roots are not yet far from the surface through lack 

 of moisture. (4) A lack of vigor in the growth that in 

 many instances follows late sowing, even though the 

 plants should survive the hazards incurred. 



The plan which sows the grain so late in the autumn 

 that it will appear above the ground in the spring has met 

 with some favor. It is not to be encouraged. Should 

 the winter weather be so dry that germination would not 

 take place until sprifrg, the crop would not reach the 

 earing stage. Nor can the plants, though germination 

 should take place before spring, withstand drought as 

 well as earlier sown and deeper rooted plants. The 



