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Widtsoe, John Andreas, 1872-1952

"Dry-Farming : a System of Agriculture for Countries under a Low Rainfall"


It is to be hoped that the time is near at hand when it will be a
rarity to see grain grown upon irrigated soil, providing the
climatic conditions permit the raising of more extensive crops.
In view of the present and future greatness of the wheat crop on
semiarid lands, it is very important to secure the varieties that
will best meet the varying dry-farm conditions. Much has been done
to this end, but more needs to be done. Our knowledge of the best
wheats is still fragmentary. This is even more true of other
dry-farm crops. According to Jardine, the dry-farm wheats grown at
present in the United States may be classificd as follows:--

I. Hard spring wheats:
(a) Common
(b) Durum
II. Winter wheats:
(a) Hard wheats (Crimean)
(b) Semihard wheats (Intermountain)
(c) Soft wheats (Pactfic)

The common varieties of hard _spring wheats _are grown principally
in districts where winter wheats have not as yet been successful;
that is, in the Dakotas, northwestern Nebraska, and other localities
with long winters and periods of alternate thawing and severe
freezing. The superior value of winter wheat has been so clearly
demonstrated that attempts are being made to develop in every
locality winter wheats that can endure the prevailing climatic
conditions.


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