fit EC OF. CLINATE AND SOIL UPON 
AGRICULTURE 
BY RUSSELL R. SPAFFORD 
Field studies in farm management are at present almost wholly 
confined to measuring the profitableness of a farm business and 
analyzing the effect of those factors which fall largely within the 
control of the farm operator. While factors beyond individual 
control have always been recognized in field work, very little at- 
tempt has thus far been made to measure their influence upon 
farming. It is true that with present weather, soil, botanical, 
census, and farm management data only preliminary measure- 
ments can be made, but nevertheless such measurements do much 
toward correlating what at present are disconnected facts in agri- 
cultural science. The use of these measurements in farm man- 
agement appears to be of particular importance in a region of low 
rainfall or low temperature. In a state such as Nebraska it is 
quite impossible to analyze intelligently either our eastern or 
western types of farming without first analyzing the influence of 
natural factors. 
The discussion which follows illustrates briefly an analysis of 
the effect of a few interesting and important variations in climate 
and soil. In order to give a broad veiw of this analysis the more 
detailed facts secured from local data have been oriented with 
respect to broad geographic principles. 
The border regions of agriculture in North America, Europe, 
and Asia are determined by low rainfall or low temperature. In 
central United States, southern Russia, and western China suc- 
cessful agricultural practices are in harmony with critically low 
rainfall. In southern Canada and northern Russia they are in 
harmony with critically low temperature. While moisture and 
temperature are the chief concerns of border regions, soil fer- 
tility is the chief concern of a region well within critical lines. 
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