218 



DRY-FARMING 



Effect of Repeated Drying on Percentage of 

 Germination 



In these experiments wheat and other seeds were 

 allowed to germinate and dr}' seven times in succes- 

 sion. With each partial germination the percentage of 

 total germination decreased until at the seventh ger- 

 mination only a few seeds of wheat, barley, and oats 

 retained their power. This, however, is practically 

 the condition in dry-farm districts with rainless 

 summers and falls, where fall seeding is practiced. 

 In such l(>calities little de]:)endence should be placed 

 on the fall rains and greater reliance placed on a 

 method of s(nl treatment that will insure good ger- 

 mination. For this juu'pose the summer fallow has 

 l,)een demonstrated to he the most desirable practice. 

 If the soil has been treated according to the prin- 

 ciples laid down in earlier chapters, the fallowed land 

 will, in the fall, contain a sufficient amount of mois- 

 ture to jii'oduce complete germination though no 

 rains may fall. Under such coirditions the main 

 consideration is to plant the seed so deep that it may 



