MANAGEMENT OF SPECIAL SOILS 275 



Arranging the areas to be seeded in long strips rather 

 than approaching the square will also counteract the 

 injurious effects of the soil drifting to a certain extent. 



By sowing the grain deeper than usual, thus leaving 

 the soil furrowed, tends to prevent soil drifting and les- 

 sens the probability of the seed or the plant roots be- 

 coming exposed. 



The sandy soils take more permanent injury from 

 drifting and are much less subject to favorable modifi- 

 cation by tillage than the clay types ; the maintenance or 

 increase of the organic matter content by applying 

 manure and growing grass or legume crops becomes 

 therefore of much greater importance with these than 

 with heavier soils. 



The introduction of perennial grasses to the rotation 

 in dry districts should be made gradually, otherwise there 

 may be difficulty in adjusting the farm organization to 

 the change. It is hardly necessary to point out that if 

 the cropping system is altered to include the growing of 

 the forage grasses and legumes, provision for the 

 economical utilization of this forage should also be care- 

 fully planned, otherwise the benefit to the soil arising 

 from the change may be secured at too high a price. 



As curative measures after soil starts to blow there is 

 very little effective treatment that can be given. Where 

 isolated spots only are affected, such as light knolls or ex- 

 posed elevations, spreading manure either in strips 

 or over the whole surface will lessen the injury. Plow- 

 ing a few furrows in strips a short distance apart on the 

 lee side of such drifting areas, while a very drastic 

 measure, is one that is advisable where a small area of 

 drifting soil in a larger area of good soil is likely to re- 

 sult in injury to the whole if not controlled in the early 



