DRY-FARMING 



growth and activity of those soil-germs 

 which are so helpful in supplying plant- 

 food for the use of the subsequent crop. 



Rainfall. 



In the Great Basin, as in nearly all of 

 the United States lying west of the 

 Rocky Mountains, the larger part of the 

 rainfall occurs during winter instead of 

 in summer, as is the case in the Great 

 Plains region. In general, rains can be 

 more easily saved and stored up for 

 future use when they fall during the win- 

 ter season. This is especially true when 

 the rainfall of any region is too light to 

 produce a crop every year, and summer 

 fallowing and alternate-year cropping is 

 necessary to conserve the scanty supply.' 

 When rain falls during the cold season, a 

 much smaller amount is evaporated than 



1 The average rainftU for the^State of Utah is about 12 

 inches per annum. 



178 



