250 DRY FARMING 



sow is determined largely by the temperature conditions 

 of spring and fall. When sown too early the seed may 

 rot or the early growth freeze. If sown too late the crop 

 may be injured by frost in the fall. Our grain crops are 

 quite resistant to spring frosts but very susceptible to 

 fall frosts. Corn and potatoes are very susceptible to 

 spring frosts and suffer from the first fall frosts while 

 roots and rape will stand very heavy fall frosts. The 

 perennial grasses and alfalfa withstand both spring and 

 fall frosts of considerable severity. As a rule all spring 

 sown crops should be planted between April 10 and the 

 end of June in the following order: — wheat, rye, peas, 

 oats, barley, flax, roots, potatoes, sunflowers, corn and 

 alfalfa. If no nurse crop is used grasses and clovers 

 should be sown in June, otherwise they may be put in 

 with spring sown nurse crops at an earlier date. 



200. Too Much or Too Little Seed per Acre. — The 

 amount of grain to sow per acre is greatly influenced by 

 the moisture and temperature conditions prevailing. A 

 thin stand is desirable in dry areas having a medium to 

 long growing season while a thick stand is preferable in 

 humid regions, particularly where the growing season is 

 short. It is hardly correct to say that thin seeding is 

 always desirable in dry areas and thick seeding in 

 humid areas for the reason that the condition of the soil 

 with respect to moisture and tilth at seeding time largely 

 determines the stand. Thin seeding on a perfect seed 

 bed may give a good stand, while thick seeding on poorly 

 prepared land may result in a thin stand. It should 

 always be our aim to have a good seed bed and then sow 

 thinly in dry areas and on d'ry soils and proportionately 

 heavier in more moist regions and those having a shorter 

 growing season. A thin stand will withstand drought 



