212 DRY-FARMING 



constant cultivation and well-kept summer fallow 

 of dry-farming develop large quantities of nitrates in 

 the soil, it will be understood that the methods of 

 dry-farming as already outlined accelerate germina- 

 tion very greatly. 



It scarcely need be said that the soil of the seed- 

 bed should be fine, mellow, and uniform in physical 

 texture so that the seeds can be planted evenly 

 and in close contact with the soil particles. All the 

 requisite conditions for germination are best met by 

 the conditions prevailing in a well-kept summer 

 fallowed soil. 



Time to sow 



In the consideration of the time to sow, the first 

 question to be disposed of by the dry-farmer is that 

 of fall as against spring sowing. The small grains 

 occur as fall and spring varieties, and it is vitally im- 

 portant to determine which season, under di'}'-farm 

 conditions, is the best for sowing. 



The advantages of fall sowing are many. As 

 stated, successful gcrminati(.)n is favored by the 

 presence of an abundance of fertility, especially of 

 nitrates, in the soil. In summer-fallowed land 

 nitrates are always found in abundance in the fall, 

 ready to stimulate the seed into rapid germination 

 and the 3'oung plants into vigorous growth. During 

 the late fall and winter months the nitrates disap- 

 pear, at least in part, and from the point of view of 



