Dry-Farming : A System of Agriculture for Countries under a Low RainfallWidtsoe, John Andreas
Science
Dry-Farming : A System of Agriculture for Countries under a Low Rainfall
Widtsoe, John Andreas
Dry farming
(1) Along the coasts there is a belt of high humidity at all
seasons, the percentage of saturation ranging from 75 to 80 per
cent.
(2) Inland, from about the 70th meridian eastward to the Atlantic
coast, the amount varies between 70 and 75 per cent.
(3) The dry region is in the Southwest, where the average annual
value is not over 50 per cent. In this region are included Arizona,
New Mexico, western Colorado, and the greater portion of both Utah
and Nevada. The amount of annual relative humidity in the remaining
portion of the elevated district, between the 100th meridian on the
east to the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades on the west, varies
between 55 and 65 per cent. In July, August, and September, the mean
values in the Southwest sink as low as 20 to 30 per cent, while
along the Pacific coast districts they continue about 80 per cent
the year round. In the Atlantic coast districts, and generally east
from the Mississippi River, the variation from month to month is not
great. April is probably the driest month of the year.
The air of the dry-farm territory, therefore, on the whole, contains
considerably less than two thirds the amount of moisture carried by
the air of the humid states. This means that evaporation from plant
leaves and soil surfaces will go on more rapidly in semiarid than in
humid regions. Against this danger, which cannot he controlled, the
dry-farmer must take special precautions.
Sunshine
The amount of sunshine in a dry-farm section is also of importance.
Direct sunshine promotes plant growth, but at the same time it
accelerates the evaporation of water from the soil. The whole
dry-farm territory receives more sunshine than do the humid
sections. In fact, the amount of sunshine may roughly be said to
increase as the annual rainfall decreases. Over the larger part of
the arid and semiarid sections the sun shines over 70 per cent of
the time.
Winds
The winds of any locality, owing to their moisture-dissipating
power play an important part in the success of dry-farming. A
persistent wind will offset much of the benefit of a heavy rainfall
and careful cultivation. While great general laws have been
formulated regarding the movements of the atmosphere, they are of
minor value in judging the effect of wind on any farming district.
Local observations, however, may enable the farmer to estimate the
probable effect of the winds and thus to formulate proper cultural
means of protection. In general, those living in a district are able
to describe it without special observations as windy or quiet. In
the dry-farm territory of the United States the one great region of
relatively high and persistent winds is the Great Plains region east
of the Rocky Mountains. Dry-farmers in that section will of
necessity be obliged to adopt cultural methods that will prevent the
excessive evaporation naturally induced by the unhindered wind, and
the possible blowing of well-tilled fallow land.
Summary
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