Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-04-29
farn1 aud firesiae.
CuLTIYATING WET GROUND.

It takes a pretty heavy summer
shower to so thoroughly wet down the
field of hoed crops that the surface
cannot be cultivated within one or two
hours after the rain has stopped fall
ing. In light showers there is an ad'
vantage in putting teams and cultiva-
tors to work as soon as the rain stops
enough, says The American Cultiva-
tor, to allow out door labor. These
light showers, which wet only the
surface, are dissipated by one or two
hours sunshine, and do scarcely any
good. Covered with two or three
inches or less of drier soil, this mois-
ture rises through it and fits the whole
mass for the rapid growth of roots.
The moisture of light rains in summer
holds some traces of ammonia, and
this, with its carbonic acid gas, makes
a very stimulating solvent of fertility
and a positive plant food of itself
Every one knows that rainfall helps
plants much more than artificial
water. 1t is warmer, for one thing,
and has the ammonia and carbonic
acid gas that the artificial irrigation
does not supply.
1t is the greatest advantage of thor
oughly drained land that it never
for more than four or five hours after
the heaviest rainfall becomes unfit to
work. Even though the rain may moi
be enough to start deep drains to run
ming, yet the effect of the drainage in
deepening the soil and enabling the
lower stratas to hold more water with
out stagnation relieves the surface sol
very quickly.
Hence all farm operations on drain
ed soil are advanced in wet spring:
two, three and even four weeks earlier
than is possible where surplus water is
disposed of by evaporation or by run
ming off on the surface. In either case
it is slow waiting till the land is FIT tc
plow, and often such land is ploweo
while 80 wet that water runs in the
furrow rather than wait longer. Nc
crop can grow we'll under such condi'
tions, unless it is grass and weeds, mos
of which thrive in comparatively low
temperatures. The farmer who thu:
begins late falls in the rear, and work!
to the greatest disadvantage through
out the season.
How different it is with the farmer
who has well-drained land. It ii
warmer earlier in the season, and can
not only be plowed earlier but every
thing planted will grow.
The first cultivation of hoed crop'
can often be done before the farme
who has undrained land is ready tt
plow. Weeds can be far more eas.l!
destroyed while small and before the!
have done any injury. The harrow
ing of corn and potato ground afte
planting serves better than cultiva
ting.
If the farmer has to wait until h
can see the rows before doing anything
to destroy weeds, those in the hill can
not be reached except by hand labor
and that adds greatly to the cost.
The true purpose Of cultivation il
rather to preserve moisture in the sol
than to destroy weeds. Indeed, there
ought never to be any visible weed
destroyed. If cultivated as often as il
necessary to keep the soil moist, th'
weed seeds will perish as fast as the!
germinate. At that time they have
taken nothing from the soil, and thei
germ rotting in the soil is worth NOR,
to it than it could be if they attained
larger growth. Cultivating thus, there
need never be any deep cutting of th'
soil. Frequent stirring of the surface
keeps the soil beneath moist and with
out injury to the roots, which in dry
time often makes the deep cultivation
do far more harm than good. If th'
cultivator is put into the corn or pota
to field quickly after every shower,
very small amount of rainfall viii
make crop if the preliminary prepa
ration before planting has been all tina
it should be.
MIN IInup nanrnD