310 DRY FARMING 



Nebraska. It is occasionally practised on limited areas 

 in preparation for winter wheat or in preparation for a 

 grass crop or alfalfa. The farmers have foundi that 

 wheat is quite as certain after corn as it is after summer 

 tillage, though the yield may be somewhat less. The 

 cultivation of the corn costs practically no more than 

 the summer tillage, and by growing the corn they obtain 

 a considerable amount of roughage and usually a grain 

 crop. The roughage is an imtportant factor, since in 

 almost all of our dry farming sections considerable live 

 stock is carried. Where summer tillage is practised, the 

 land is usually left uncultivated until after corn plant- 

 ing, when it is plowed ; and after plowing, sufficient cul- 

 tivation is given with a disc or harrow to keep down 

 weed growth. 



254. Crop Rotation. — There is no very definite system 

 of rotation in the dry farming area. The most nearly 

 definite is corn and Winter wheat alternating. The win- 

 ter wheat is usually drilled with a one-horse drill into 

 the standing corn. Later the corn is harvested, usually 

 by husking from the standing stalks and then turning 

 the stock in to get what rough feed they can. Where the 

 corn has been kept fairly clean, this is a very satisfactory 

 w:ay of growing winter wheat. The wheat goes into a 

 firm seed bed and has the stalks and stubble to catch 

 snow and serve as a protection from blowing during the 

 winter. Ordinarily the wheat stubble is prepared for 

 corn simply by disking it early in the spring and then 

 putting in the corn with the lister. 



255. Crop Adaptation, — This is a very important factor 

 in the development of any section. Obviously no amount 

 or kind of tillage will make profitable the production of 

 a poorly adapted croip. All o^f the ordinary grain crops 



