414 DRY-FARMING 



deeper each year until eight or ten inches are reached. 

 Plow at least once for each crop. Spring plowing, 

 if practiced, should be done as early as possible in 

 the season. 



Follow the ]3low, whether in the fall or spring, with 

 the disk and that with the smoothing harrow, if crops 

 are to be sown soon afterward. If the land plowed 

 in the fall is t(.i lie fallow for the winter, leave it in the 

 rough conditi(.)n, except in localities where there is 

 little or no sn<jw and the winter temperature is high. 



Always disk the land in early spring, to prevent 

 evajjoration. Follow the disk with the harrow. 

 Harnjw, or in s(jme dtlier way stir the surface of the 

 soil after ever}' rain. If cnjps are on the land, har- 

 row as long as the plants will stand it. If hoed crops, 

 like corn or potatoes, are grown, use the cultivator 

 throughout the seastjn. A deep mulch or dry soil 

 should cover the land as far as possible throughout 

 the summer. Immediateh' after harvest disk the 

 soil thoroughl}'. 



Destroy weeds as soon as they show themselves. 

 A weedy dry-farm is doomed to failure. 



Give the land an occasional rest, that is, a clean 

 summer fallow. Under a rainfall of less than fifteen 

 inches, the land should be summer fallowed every 

 other year; under an annual rainfall of fifteen to 

 twenty inches, the summer fallow should occur every 

 third or. fourth year. Wliere the I'ainfall comes 

 chieflv in the summer, the summer fallow is less im- 



