CROPS FOR DRY-FARMING 379 



growth during the period of most rainfall, and those which will 

 make the most efficient use of the soil moisture. Some dry-farm 

 crops are here mentioned in the order of their importance. 



Wheat is the leading crop — including winter and hard spring 

 varieties.^ This crop shows a closer relation between the yield 

 and the moisture content of the soil than any other crop. In the 

 northern portion of the dry-land area corn or other cultivated 

 ground makes the best preparation; in the central portion, early 

 fall plowing and cultivated ground is good; and in the south- 

 ern section winter wheat seeded late on small grain stubble is 

 most profitable. In the southern portion, land preparation 

 for winter wheat should begin immediately after the harvest of 

 small grains.^ 



Oats is a promising dry-land crop. Summer tillage has produced 

 higher yields than any of the other cultural methods, but the great- 

 est profits per acre have been realized when oats were sown on 

 disked corn land. Where fisting has been tried, it proved more 

 profitable than fall plowing. 



Barley grows fairly well on dry-farms, especially those varieties 

 belonging to the beardless and hull-less types. Largest yields 

 are produced on summer tilled land, but slightly more profits 

 per acre have been realized when the ground is ^prepared with a 

 lister instead of a plow. 



Rye is one of the surest dry-land crops. The winter varieties 

 are usually most satisfactory. 



Corn is a most excellent crop to grow for fodder and to prepare 

 the land for a crop of small grain. It has been found that no one 

 method of seed-bed preparation seems essential to the production 

 of this crop, especially in the Great Plains. 



Sorghums promise to become excellent crops for dry-farming. 



Alfalfa is a most valuable crop to grow in the valleys especially, 

 on account of the more favorable moisture conditions. Some- 

 times alfalfa is planted in rows to permit of intertillage, and to 

 lessen the draft on the moisture supply. 



Peas have been found an excellent legume in some sections, 

 and may be substituted for summer fallowing. 



2 The hard winter wheat, especially — ^Kharkow and Turkey Red of the 

 Crimean group. The varieties of common spring wheat usually grown are 

 the Blue Stem and Red Fife. Durum or macarom wheat is also much grown. 

 Department of Agriculture BuUetiu 268, and Farmers' Bulletm 895. 

 3 U. S. Farmers' BuUetm 895, 1917. 



