714 TRANSACTIONS OF SUB-SECTION K. 
moisture may become so large that the rate of removal from the soil exceeds 
the ability of capillarity to bring it up. In many of the coastal plains of 
the Southern States (U.S.A.), where such soil conditions obtain, drought often 
prevails with a high water content in the soil less than 18 inches below 
the surface. It is a fortunate circumstance that deep congenial subsoils are 
generally characteristic of semi-arid and arid regions, so that the root 
systems of crops may have deep as well as broad pasturage, and upon this 
feature more than any other must the hope of ‘dry’ farming rest. Earth 
mulches are next discussed, and it is shown that the mulch should not be 
deeper than necessary. Not only is a deep mulch so much soil taken out 
of active service, but it may, in a season of small intermittent rains, waste 
more moisture than is saved by retaining the rainfall at the surface, whence 
it evaporates, instead of allowing it to penetrate below. 
For hoed crops like maize and potatoes it is easy to utilise soil mulches 
as conservators of moisture, but with cereals a modified method is necessary. 
The author recommended growing cereals in strips two feet wide, leaving 
two feet as cultivated fallow between the strips. In the following year the 
strips are alternated, so what is now fallow will next year be cultivated, 
and vice versé. He considers this better than. the usual arrangement of 
leaving the whole field fallow in alternate years. ; 
