3. Translate the following sentences. Mind the word meanings of should.
1. If we cultivated the land properly in the fall, we should conserve more moisture.
2. Though wheat grows under a wide range of climatic conditions, it is advisable that is should be grown in areas with moderate climate.
3. One should apply manure in the fall preceding spring wheat planting, so that it may have enough time to decompose.
4. If we grew this new rye variety for a number of years, we should find that it lodges less than the old one.
5. The usual rate of sowing oats should be increased by 20 40% when they are broadcasted.
6. It is necessary that moisture content of the grain should not be more than 14% for safe storage.
4. Translate the following sentences . Mind the forms and functions of the participles.
1. Including green manure crops into the rotation we help to maintain the organic matter content of the soil.
2. Having applied a commercial fertilizer at the time of planting and later as side dressing, the farmers increased corn yields considerably.
3. Applications of manure are beneficial for cotton, this fertilizing material being usually applied to the crop that cotton follows in the rotation.
4. Being used as top dressing manure decreases evaporation losses of water and improves the tilth of heavy soils.
5. The temperature being below 40°F, few plants will continue to grow.
6. The most important soil constituent determining its properties and fertility is humus.
7. The prevailing climatic conditions of our region are especially unfavourable for grain corn production.
Vocabulary Focus
| Handwrite the words and word combinations related to text A and give their Russian equivalents. Check them in the agronomy and soil science dictionaries. |
| Nearly, leafy, permanent, to thrive (throve, thriven), semiarid, mostly, particularly, drainage, except, lumpy, to respond (to), liming, to lime, companion crop. |
5. Read and translate text A. Find the word most in the meaning of « большинство » (para. 1, 5), different participle constructions (para. 3, 4).
Text 20A
Alfalfa
The Alfalfa plant is a perennial. It's known to vary in height from 18 inches to 3 feet. The roots of alfalfa are very long and penetrate to a great depth as compared with most other field crops. At the age of 5 months the tap root penetrates to a depth of 6,5 feet, and some of the side roots are nearly as deep.
Alfalfa is used in many different ways, and no other forage crop produced is likely to have so many varied uses. About 80% of the crop is made into hay. The most important considerations is determining the proper stage for cutting alfalfa for hay are: yield, quality of hay, effect on maintenance of the stand. Early cutting provides hay that is leafier, and higher in protein content than later cutting, but yields of dry matter appear to be lawer. Furthermore, if cut too early, the plants are weakened and the productive life of the stand is shortened. Alfalfa is also used for pasturage, silage, and making meal. Besides, it is the good permanent cover crop and frequently increases the yield of the crop that follows it.
Alfalfa is known to be grown successfully under a wide range of climatic conditions, varying from extremely low winter temperatures to very high summer temperatures. But it is a dry hot climate that is most suitable, and alfalfa will not thrive in hot humid regions. Thus, alfalfa has been found to be mostly grown in the semiarid regions, especially where irrigation is used. A combination of high humidity, high precipitation and high temperatures is particularly unfavourable.
We know soil requirements of this crop to have always been next in importance to the climatic conditions. It is essential that alfalfa should be grown on deep soil due to the great root development, good drainage being also necessary. Under semiarid conditions alfalfa seems to thrive on nearly all soils except those, containing much alkaline salts.
The seedbed alfalfa requires should be firm, moderately lumpy, and relatively free of weeds. As alfalfa is very sensitive to acid soil conditions, it responds to liming better than most other legumes. Applications of lime to acid soils not only increase the yield, but hasten the activity of the nitrogen fixing bacteria as well.
The time of seeding depends upon several factors, and it the therefore varies in different regions. Where rainfall is plentiful and soil conditions are favourable alfalfa is frequently seeded in early spring with a companion crop. When seeded alone, late spring and early summer seeding is preferred.
Notes to the text
1. as compared with ... – по сравнению с ...;
2. … is made into hay ... – … заготавливается на сено ...;
3. a wide range – большое разнообразие;
4. next in importance to … - второй по важности после ...
Comprehension activities
6. Specify which of the following adjectives match with the word soil :
Excessive, fertile, friable, advisable, lumpy, principal, humid, acid, sufficient, dry, alkaline, wet, hot, firm, mellow.