136 THE PRACTICAL SIDE OF 



however, that the evaporation of moisture 

 is prevented by hoeing. 



The term 'Dry Farming' has been 

 given to a system of cultivation of soils 

 deficient in moisture and situated in dis- 

 tricts where the rainfall is low. The chief 

 feature of this system, apart from ploughing 

 and the usual operations of land culture, 

 consists in hoeing the surface soil to a 

 depth of some three inches, the object being 

 to prevent the escape of the moisture 

 from below. 



The ' Dry Farming ' system is based upon 

 the principle that the moisture of a subsoil rises 

 to the surface by capillary action, and that 

 where the soil is firm and compact through- 

 out it escapes by evaporation. Thus, after 

 ploughing, cultivating, harrowing, and rolling, 

 with the object of producing a perfect tilth, 

 and the soil is pulverised, the particles are 

 pressed close together, while not cohering 

 to form a plastic or homogeneous mass. 

 While the particles of soil are in this position 

 water is conveyed from one to the other, 

 inasmuch as they are in contact, constantly 

 rising upwards until the surface soil is reached. 

 If, however, the surface soil is kept loose 

 with the hoe to a depth of two to three inches, 



