SOWING AND PLANTING IN DRY AREAS 183 



that has been prepared long enough beforehand and ua- 

 der such conditions as will insure enough moisture to 

 give the crop a good start, and (2) a soil that is in proper 

 mechanical condition. It may not be possible in all in- 

 stances to secure either when the plowing is not done 

 until after the opening of spring. Nor may it be possi- 

 ble under such conditions to bring it into a proper me- 

 chanical condition; that is, a condition of correct fria- 

 bility. Friability, that is a fine condition as to pulveri- 

 zation, is influenced by the amount of moisture present 

 or absent as well as by the natural texture of the soil. 

 An overwet condition of the soil is to be avoided when 

 sowing as well as a condition overdry. Of the two evils 

 it would be the greater. 



Sowing that is seasonable may be defined as sowing 

 that is not so early or so late as to incur hazard to the 

 kind of crop sown. Such hazard may come from cold 

 and frost at the opening of spring or from lack of mois- 

 ture late in the season or it may come from trying to grow 

 the plant under conditions not suited to its needs. The 

 hazard from cold and frost in early sowing is greatly in- 

 fluenced by species and variety. After the opening of 

 spring, hazard from the influences named would seldom 

 affect spring wheat, for instance, adversely, howsoever 

 early it might be sown, whereas oats sown thus early 

 may be seriously injured. The order for sowing spring 

 sown cereals is about as follows : Spring wheat, speltz 

 and spring rye may be first sown and about equally early ; 

 peas and barley may follow closely, especially when the 

 barley is of the hulless variety ; oats may follow in close 

 succession and after oats flax. Young plants that cannot 

 endure freezing should be kept beneath the surface until 

 the hazard from frost is practically past. Such are pota- 

 toes and the more tender of the garden vegetables. 

 Other plants, as rutabagas, should not be sown usually 

 as early as they will grow, lest the quality should be af- 



