Dry-farming, as at present understood, is the profitable production
of useful crops, without irrigation, on lands that receive annually
a rainfall of 20 inches or less. In districts of torrential rains,
high winds, unfavorable distribution of the rainfall, or other
water-dissipating factors, the term "dry-farming" is also properly
applied to farming without irrigation under an annual precipitation
of 25 or even 30 inches. There is no sharp demarcation between
dry-and humid-farming.

When the annual precipitation is under 20 inches, the methods of
dry-farming are usually indispensable. When it is over 30 inches,
the methods of humid-farming are employed; in places where the
annual precipitation is between 20 and 30 inches, the methods to be
used depend chiefly on local conditions affecting the conservation
of soil moisture. Dry-farming, however, always implies farming under
a comparatively small annual rainfall.

The term "dry-farming" is, of course, a misnomer. In reality it is
farming under drier conditions than those prevailing in the
countries in which scientific agriculture originated. Many
suggestions for a better name have been made. "Scientific
agriculture" has-been proposed, but all agriculture should be
scientific, and agriculture without irrigation in an arid country
has no right to lay sole claim to so general a title. "Dry-land
agriculture," which has also been suggested, is no improvement over
"dry-farming," as it is longer and also carries with it the idea of
dryness. Instead of the name "dry-farming" it would, perhaps, be
better to use the names, "arid-farming." "semiarid-farming,"
"humid-farming," and "irrigation-farming," according to the climatic
conditions prevailing in various parts of the world. However, at the