168 DRY FARMING 



138. The Function of the Fallow.— The chief and per- 

 haps most legitimate function of the fallow is the storage 

 and conservation in the soil of a portion of one year's 

 moisture as a partial insurance against failure of the 

 next year's crop as a result of drought. In some places 

 such as the Red River Valley of Manitoba" the fallow is 



Fig. 66. — Cultivating Corn, Gladstone, Man. 

 The corn crop is replacing a part of the fallow on some farms. 



made to serve the purpose of weed destruction. In others 

 it is used largely because it enables the farmer to make 

 a more economical distribution of the season's activities. 

 Whatever its purpose in the mind of the man planning 

 it, the results of fallowing, when properly carried out, 

 are that (1) the field contains more moisture than other- 

 wise, (2) many weeds have been killed, (3) a large 

 amount of availahle plant food has been accumulated, 

 (4) the decay of rubbish and stubble is accomplished, 

 and (5) the land is ready for seeding whenever spring 

 opens up. 



139. The Practices of Fallowing. — The two chief prac- 

 tices of fallowing are (1) plowing in June or early July 

 (later in the most humid parts) so as to make 

 the soil receptive for the heavy rains of the rainy 



