LESSONS FROM EXPERIENCE 327 



Dry farming is not gambling on a wet season. It is 

 so conducting the operations of the farm that there is 

 fair prospect of returns every year. 



DRY FARMING PRACTICES IN THE RED RIVER 

 VALLEY 



By T. J. Harrison, Professor of Field Husbandry, 

 Manitoba Agricultural College, Winnipeg. 



The Province of Manitoba may be divided into three 

 agronomic zones, i.e., Eastern, Southwestern and North- 

 western, It is not possible at this time to state definitely 

 the boundaries of these districts because no detailed 

 climatic and soil survey has been made. The Eastern 

 section or the Red River Valley may, however, be de- 

 scribed as that portion occupying the basin of the old 

 glacial lake Agassiz. It is approximately that part of 

 the Province which lies between the 96th and 98th 

 meridians, and south of the 51st degree of latitude. The 

 Southwestern and Northwestern sections are west of the 

 98th meridian and are separated a;pproximately by the 

 50th degree of latitude. 



The fundamental differences in farming methods in 

 these districts may be summarized as follows : — 



Southwestern: Except for the lack of moisture the 

 climate in this district is favorable to the production of 

 any of the small grain crops. The average annual pre- 

 cipitation is only about 15 inches. The farm practices 

 are, therefore, adapted to the conservation of moisture. 



Northwestern: In this portion of the province there 

 are many variations in climate due to the mountains and 

 lakes. The annual precipitation is about 18 inches. 

 This with the cool climate and low evaporation is usually 



