DEPTH OF SOWING 221 



not be strong and deep, but will have to depend for 

 its development upon the surface water, which is 

 always a dangerous practice in dry-farming. The 

 rule as to the depth of seeding is simply: Plant as 

 deeply as is safe. The depth to which seeds may be 

 safely placed depends upon the nature of the soil, its 

 fertility, its physical condition, and the water that 

 it contains. In sandy soils, planting may be deeper 

 than in clay soils, for it requires less energy for a 

 plant to push roots, stems, and leaves through the 

 loose sandy soil than through the more compact clay 

 soil; in a dry soil planting may be deeper than in 

 wet soils; likewise, deep planting is safer in a loose 

 soil than in one firmly compacted ; finally, where the 

 moist soil is considerable distance below the surface, 

 deeper planting may be practiced than when the 

 moist soil is near the surface. Countless experiments 

 have been conducted on the subj ect of depth of seed- 

 ing. In a few cases, orchnary agricultural seeds 

 planted eight inches deep have come up and pro- 

 duced satisfactory plants. However, the consensus 

 of opinion is that from one to three inches are best in 

 humid districts, but that, everything considered, four 

 inches is the best depth under dry-farm conditions. 

 Under a low natural precipitation, where the methods 

 of dry-farming are practiced, it is always safe to 

 plant deeply, for such a practice will develop and 

 strengthen the root system, which is one big step 

 toward successful dry-farming. 



