GROWING GRAIN CROPS IN DRY AREAS 247 



rather than by plowing, that the sod buried may not 

 again be brought to the surface until it is more decayed. 

 The first discing should be given as soon as possible after 

 the harvesting of the grain and the second the following 

 spring, with such harrowing as may be necessary. 



Sowing. But few varieties, or strains even, of flax 

 have been introduced into the United States, much less 

 into the semi-arid country. In the latter it is grown 

 exclusively for grain production, and only what may be 

 termed the common variety is sown. Improved strains 

 will doubtless come in the near future. 



The time of sowing varies much, even in the same 

 locality. In common practise it covers a period of fully 

 six weeks. In proximity to the Canadian border, the 

 period during which flax is sown runs from, say, May 

 1st to June 15th. The common idea that flax is easily 

 destroyed by frost in the spring is not well founded. It 

 will not stand so much frost as wheat and some other 

 crops, but spring frosts of considerable severity will not 

 kill it. To eliminate the elements of hazard from flax 

 on spring-plowed land in a dry season, it should be sown 

 not later than May 15th. This does not mean that in 

 some instances good crops may not be grown on spring- 

 plowed land sown late, and which was also plowed late 

 and shallow. The favorite time for sowing flax in north- 

 ern areas is the month of May. Southward it should be 

 sown earlier. The hazard from late sowing comes, first, 

 from dry weather that may follow the sowing, and, sec- 

 ond, from frost that may overtake the crop when in the 

 boll stage. 



Before sowing flax, unless the farmer is fully as- 

 sured that the seed is absolutely free from wilt spores, 

 he should not fail to treat it with a 40 per cent, solu- 

 tion of formaldehyde and water. One pint of formalde- 

 hyde is used to 40 gallons of water. The solution is 

 best applied with a spray pump that will throw a fine 



