212 DRY LAND FARMING 



other crops. These may be cultivated with more or less 

 profit. Such cultivation will prove relatively more profit- 

 able under dry than under humid conditions, and chiefly 

 because of the influence which it exercises on moisture 

 conservation. The cultivation has reference to stirring 

 the soil above and around the plants as shown in chapter 

 XII, the implements used being the harrow and some 

 form of cultivator. 



There is no kind of cereal grown in the semi-arid 

 country that will not be profited by some form of cul- 

 tivation given to it during the period of growth. As 

 a rule such cultivation will be given to cereals included 

 under the head of small grains, by the aid of the harrow. 

 More commonly these are sown by the grain drill in 

 the ordinary way and the harrowing is done chiefly after 

 the crops have reached the surface of the ground. Plant- 

 ing cereals in spaced rows has been tried, that is in rows 

 wide enough to admit of cultivating between them, but 

 the results obtained do not seem to justify the expense 

 of such cultivation. This at least is true of the increase 

 that such cultivation brings to the crop. It is doubtful, 

 however, in such instances, if a sufficient allowance has 

 been made for the influence which the cultivation given 

 may exert on the next crop. Peas, probably more than 

 any other cereal, have been thus grown in spaced rows, 

 but the benefit from growing them thus has not been 

 determined as yet. The degree of the harrowing that may 

 be given to cereals is discussed elsewhere (see p. 156). 

 For the place for these crops, see pp. 390-399. 



With fodder crops the case is absolutely clear. Fod- 

 der crops as used here means the coarse fodders, as corn 

 and the sorghums. Cultivation for these is absolutely in- 

 dispensable. It is given while the crop has not yet ap- 

 peared, and subsequently. It is given with both the 

 harrow and the ordinary corn cultivator of various 

 makes, and it is continued usually, or at least it ought 



