184 DRY LAND FARMING 



fected adversely. But the aim should be to sow all crops 

 as soon as possible after the proper season has arrived 

 for sowing them. Promptness in sowing when that time 

 comes, is doubly important in dry areas. 



The depth to sow. The best depth at which to sow 

 seed is influenced: (1) by the soil; (2) by the moisture 

 present; (3) by the character of the seed ; and (4) by the 

 season. These influences may act separately or more or 

 less in conjunction. 



The more loose and spongy the soil is and the great- 

 er the degree of its porosity, the more deeply may seeds 

 be planted and the greater also is the necessity for plant- 

 ing them relatively deeply. In- such soils, the young 

 germs may readily push their way up to the light, a re- 

 sult that would not be so easily attained by the same in 

 stiff soils. Seeds, therefore, should be planted less deep- 

 ly as the density of the soil increases. 



The moisture in the soil is a more important factor 

 relatively in dry than in humid areas, and it exercises a 

 correspondingly greater influence on the results. When 

 moisture is sufficiently present, it is comparatively easy 

 to determine the depth for planting seeds, providing their 

 habits of growth are understood. It is different, how- 

 ever, when the moisture is more or less lacking. If the 

 moisture has left the upper section of the tilled area, to 

 insure prompt germination the seed must be put down 

 far enough to reach the moisture below. When seed is 

 thus planted more deeply, the extent to which it will 

 stand such increase in depth must be considered. About 

 2 inches is a very suitable depth for planting several kinds 

 of cereals in the semi-arid country, but should the mois- 

 ture table be from 3 to 4 inches below the surface, it 

 would be necessary to plant the seed thus deeply. Such 

 cereals as wheat and speltz, also some others, would stand 

 such deep planting, but this would not be true of flax. 



