The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1893-07-20
FARMER AND PLANTER.
WHY THE PLOW2
Because 1t Prepares the Ground to store
Needed Moisture.

Because 1t Prepares the Ground to store
Needed Moisture.
To conserve the moisture that is de-
posted in the earth by rains and melt
ing SHOWS, and even by dews, necess1-
tates deep preparation of the soil pre-
vious to planting, so that the rains may
be readily absorbed. When absorbed
1t must not be allowed to escape by
evaporation; but if the full benefit of
the winter and spring rains are to be
realized the moisture must be carried
quickly down beyond the Immediate
reach of the evaporating influences of
the sun. Stored deep In the earth,
perpetual reservoir, it is ready
to be brought to the surface for
use of the growing plants when needed
by the capillary action of the earth.
In order to make this matter PLAIN to
the average reader, we would say, that
after every rain the soil is settled
down, the PARTICLES of earth are packed
nearer together, and the spaces be-
tween them are small. A number of
these small spaces joined together
make little tubes called capillary tubes,
and in these water will rise from below.
If the soil has not been disturbed after
rain, these tubes come to the surface,
and so does the water in them. The
water coming to the surface evapo-
rates and escapes, consequently is lost
as far as that individual crop Is con-
cerned.
When the soil has been plowed, the
spaces or tubes are made larger and
water will not rise in large tubes;
hence, it comes up as far as the small
tubes are undisturbed and stops there,
and the loose soil above prevents its
rapid evaporation. In this way and
by these means the natural pores of the
earth are closed, the loose dirt serves as
mulch, and the soil moisture is con-
served in time of drought and retained
in the soil Exactly where it is needed)
from one rain to the next. This mulch
not only prevents the escape of soil
moisture, but it also tends to check the
intense heat of the sun In It's down
ward progress to the roots of plants.
Both or these are very important mat
tiers during spells of long-continued
hot, dry weather throughout the whole
of the United States, but doubly i'm
portant throughout the semi-arid re-
gions of the southwest and west.
In this connection we can not do bet
ter than to subjoin the observations of
Prof. f. Ii. King, of Wisconsin, on
Rain and Soil Stirring" They are in
teresting, instructive, pertinent and to
the point. He says:
Il found during my studies of soil
moisture, when taking samples of soil
just before rain and again immedi-
ately after in the same localities, that
on several occasions the soil at some
distance below the surface was dryer
than before the rain. / found also on
two different occasions, by determining
the amount of water in an area of field
soil down to the depth of four feet, and
then adding with IA sprinkler known
quantity of water to the surface, that
after the lapse of about twenty-four
hours the lower three feet contained
less water than before the sprinkling
occurred, while the upper foot had
gained in water more than had been
added to the surface"
81 have not yet been able to determine
whether the principle applies to all
soils, but there is condition of mois-
ture for clayey soils underlaid in which
certain amount is added to the sur
face, SO that in these cases the surface
foot may receive not simply the rain
which falls upon them, but an addi-
tional quantity brought up from below
in consequence of the rain having
fallen.
These facts make it evident that there
may be times when to leave a piece of
ground unstirred two or three DAYS
after a shower may result in leaving
the upper four feet of soil in drier
condition than if it had not rained at
all, because not only will the rain itself
have been evaporated from the surface,
but in addition some portion of the
deeper soil water which the rain was
the occasion of bringing up from below.
eff the surface is broken as soon as
the soil will permit of it, there will be
retained near the surface, where the
moisture is most needed, not only most
of the rain which fell, but in addition
that which the increased capillary ac-
ton has brought up from below"
I have repeatedly seen corn ''fire-
up" to the ear-or where the ear ought
to be-after rain, where that right
beside it, that received an additional
working, was green down to the bot
tom blades. The ears of that which
was well worked hung over in the mid
die; the other, on land precisely the
same, but lacking the later working,
pointed skyward, like they were taking
telescope view of the moon.-G. II.
Turner, in Texas Farm and Ranch.
DI ENTV NE ENNnEo