Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-02-16
CORN CULTIVATION.
How the Disadvantages of Dry Season
Can BE Best Overcome.

HOW the Disadvantages OF Dry SeasoH
Can Be Best Overcome.
At the close of each growing season
there are some lessons Of the year that
should be gathered up and rehearsed in
order to fix them permanently in mind,
and also to add to the stock of general
information, which all should be glad
to increase to its utmost extent II
the changes for each month for the en-
tire season came in routine order
recurring at stated times in exact Pc
RODS of duration-the science of agri-
culture would long since have reached
beyond the domain of conjecture and
entered the list of exact sciences. The
effectual processes that bring success
in this years operations would be the
pattern for next seasons practice in
every line of farming. But in proper
ton as the changes of the season diff
fer, so the application of different prac-
tees becomes necessary. While we
are striving to determine what system
of tactics to employ in a wet or cold
season, we forget what manipulation
of the soil becomes necessary for a
dry one.
In discussing this phase of farming
with a few gathered farmers at a
neighbours ireside lately, the special
subject of growing corn in a dry season
came up, and it was generally conceded
that our knowledge of cause and effect
in the growth of this crop was very
limited. The heroic treatment of con-
tinued cultivation has proved fatal in
every instance, especially where any
thing more than surface cultivation
was attempted. Many fields, under a
system that would be considered slack,
when gagged by the usual effective
methods, have produced all that could
have been expected in average years,
while constant and thorough cultiva-
ton damaged and dwindled the crop
down to a meager half.
There is a limit beyond which Guilt
walton ceases to do good, and is fire.
quently, especially in a dry season, a
serious damage When the soil is free
from weeds, and is well pulverized, no
further manipulation can increase its
power of appropriating its essential
food and moisture. Every attempt to
increase this power disturbs the Oper
ations of the root system and checks
the growth of the plant. Apple trees
are frequently pruned so severely that
they die of their wounds. Every
nurseryman knows that it takes from
seven to ten days for young trees to
recover, and begin to grow after each
pruning of the top. In a wet season,
when the earth has a full supply Of
moisture, corn grows in spite of vigor-
Gus cultivation. and indeed the fact
| that the season is wet, often prevents
excessive stirring of the soil. The
| rule that is hcre now commonly &C.
! centoG, Is to stir the surface of the
ground after each heavy rain that is
liable to crust the top soil; but while
the earth is becoming drier and drier,
keep out of the corn and sit in the
shade rather than work it then.
We know so little of what is going
on beneath the first two inches of earth
that it is not surprising that we allow
custom instead Of knowledge to guide
our acts. The. effectiveness of i'm
proved machinery makes it compare
lively easy to stir the soil to any rear
sonable depth. With this power to
do comes the desire and fashion, with
no consideration for the evil that may
be done to the growing crop. Har-
rowing wheat in the spring with the
view of improving the growth is a
twin fallacy that ought to go to that
crowded limbo of rejected theories
where such nonsense naturally be-
longs,-Cor. Country Gentleman.