THE SUMMER FALLOW 177 



would not be best. The practices recommended are for 

 extremely dry conditions and not for all areas irre- 

 spective of climatic conditions. 



If weeds grow more luxuriantly on an early fallow 

 and the cost of keeping them down is thereby increased — 

 it is but nature's evidence that such a fallow is achieving 



Fig. 70. — Cracks in Heavy Land. 



These increase the evaporating surface of the soil. 



its legitimate function — the storage and conservation of 

 soil moisture. The cost of the added cultivation is, of 

 course, an extra charge against the fallow. When this 

 is necessarily excessive and particularly on soils that are 

 ii;iclined to blow it is often advisable to delay the plow- 

 ing. If this is done, however, steps should be taken to 

 prevent an excessive weed growth which wastes moisture, 

 and to keep the soil, loose on top and receptive to rains. 

 There is some evidence that if such steps are taken, 



