By what cultural treatment may this downward descent
of the water be accelerated by the farmer? First and foremost, by
plowing at the right time and to the right depth. Plowing should be
done deeply and thoroughly so that the falling water may immediately
be drawn down to the full depth of the loose, spongy, plowed soil,
away from the action of the sunshine or winds. The moisture thus
caught will slowly work its way down into the lower layers of the
soil. Deep plowing is always to be recommended for successful
dry-farming.
In humid districts where there is a great difference between the
soil and the subsoil, it is often dangerous to turn up the lifeless
subsoil, but in arid districts where there is no real
differentiation between the soil and the subsoil, deep plowing may
safely be recommended. True, occasionally, soils are found in the
dry-farm territory which are underlaid near the surface by an inert
clay or infertile layer of lime or gypsum which forbids the farmer
putting the plow too deeply into the soil. Such soils, however' are
seldom worth while trying for dry-farm purposes. Deep plowing must
be practiced for the best dry-farming results.
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