Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-02-07
b the ZINC whom the Indian and hnlInlo trnlls
No. 6

In the time when the Indian and buffalo trails
were still visible on our prairies.
The quantity of water absorbed by vegetation
has been made u matter of study and expert.
ment by investigators In this country and in
Europe. The results show that where the water
sheds are densely covered with grassesor tho
cereals, there Is but little water left TO low
away In the streams or to MI the ponds.
There should be vast increase in the area OF
tile-draincd lands. Wherever there lisa patch
of cold, heavy, wet soil, put In the tile bitches,
and put them In plentiiully. The best way to
conserve moisture is to put II under ground, and
cover 1t with n dry mulch, so that the sun will
not turn II into yapor and the winds blow II
away. Don't allow the moisture viii his needed
for plant growth TO spread over the surface, to
stagnatc or evaporate in the sunshine. Make
your soil porous by Judicous cultivation, and by
occasional subsoiling. The deeper il Is stirred
below the ordinary depth OF blowing and cult
waiting the better. When IL Is friable to tho
debth of eighteen or twenty inches 1t win All
Sorb and retain II vast amount of water, which
percolates into the subsoil and underlying strata
forming II reserve Of moisture whence plants
draw their supply during the rainless periods.
Remember that u sponge will take up and hold
Il great deal more moisture than u bone or than
Il mass OF impervious clay.
And another way TO conserve moisture Is to
plant trees, and plant them thickly, so as to es-
tablish forest conditions. The value OF shelter
belts, and even OF scattering hedge rows, has
been abundantly proven In the experience of tho
past season. Ii we had judicously planted two
or three million acres OF dense groves twenty or
thirty years ago, on comparatively worthless
lands, the Investment would now pay very large
annual dividends
III had u farm would reclaim by drainage
every rod OF wet land that could possibly be
ditched and wOul,i balance the account with
nature by covering steep side hills and barren
knobs with dense groves, to prevent washing
away the SOIL and to assist nature IN storing up
the surplus water. The only surface waterI
would tolerate on the place would be In deep
ponds or reservoirs, formed by damming up
streams, or by excavation for the reception OF
the surplus iowage OF tile drains. These ponds
could be utilized for fish culture, and for the
annual Ice crop, and they would also serve
purpose as feeders OF stock wells In dry seasons.
But would not construct ponds with the notion
that they would Increase evaporation and rain
fall.
Don't worry over the problem of Increasing
the humidity OF the air, or making II rain. Leave
the matter to Providence working through nat.
ural law. The proper work for man Is to CO.
operate with nature, by preparing Tie soil for
the production Of crops. TO do this 1t Is nee
essary TO facilitate the passage OF rainfall into
into the soil. where IL will do the most good, re-
moving IL from the surface where It IS harmful
| to crops or is soon dssipated and blown away.
! SO conclude icy saying; Drain your lands
and do 1t thoroughly. Ditch and drain as II you
wero certain the next quarter OF century would
bring II vast surplus OF moisture. Put your soil
in the best possible condition TO Withstand ex-
cessiye rains and Hoods, and IL will then be In
excellent shape to Withstand the most severe
drouths.
| Paper read before the State Agricultural So
ciets January 10, 1895, by j. II. Sage.