Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-03-05
THE suBHuMID BELT.
Natures Laboratory Where She Performs
Her Crop-ProducinE Functions.

of land, in the north the corn belt, and
In the west the wheat belt; but east,
west north and south there exists a
greater and more important soil belt
than all the others combined-indeed,
none of these could exist and produce
without this-the subhumid belt. 1t
Is only about six inches in thickness,
and lies directly between the depth of
two inches from the surface and a
depth of eight inches. This is the
laboratory in which nature so mys-
terlously performs most of her func-
lions necessary to crop production,
and without this particular workshop
the earth would be a barren waste.
Our title says ''subhumid belt" Sub
means under and humid moisture, or
dampness. This belt, then. is under
two inches of surface soil, whose chief
Office is or should be to act as a
mulch-a shield to protect sly nature
at work in her laboratory from the
gaze of inquisitlve or unwelcome
guests. The inventor, to prevent in
trusion, places ON his workshop door:
mo Admittace;" and nature means
the same thing by choosing to cloak
her operations with an earth covering
or mulch. The latter seems to have
little or no other purpose, for as
rule plant-roots get their nutriment
beneath this.
This belt is humid-moist. 1t Is an
inflexible law of nature that plants.
like human infants, can take nutri.
ment only in solution. Infants would
starve with only solid food offered
them, and so would plants. Plants
could no more consume lump of fer
tility than babe could slice of bread.
This belt, then, must have moisture.
and that permanently, or plants will
not flourish. Moist to-day and dry to-
morrow would not answer the purpose.
1t is more important to have this belt
in proper condition rs to moisture than
1t is as to fertility, because without
moisture nothing would grow.
One of the chief aims of the farmers.
then, should be to preserve moisture
here. To pillow the ground eight inches
or more in depth will furnish a reser.
voir for water to be supplied by rains
and melting SHOWS. But here guard
is needed. Long continuance of too
much water is as bad as none. There
should be suitable drainage to convey
away surplus. Pour childs Gun of
milk into barrel of water and IL
could not take enough of the dilation
to sustain. life. Capillarity of soil is
too little needed. When fine enough
for growth of plants it is full of pores,
or holes, and by capillary attraction
moisture will travel in all directions.
This Is illustrated in the oil-lamp
where oil seems to climb up the wick,
For this operation the earth must
not be too fine or too coarse. If as fine
as dust, all the pores are obliterated
and ii in coarse Jumps, attraction i.
not powerful enough to take moisture
from one lump to the other. Soil il
what is called good filth" is in tn,
right condition, provided the particle,
are sufficiently pressed together
There should be no cavities or clods in
this belt, for they would defeat capil
larry action. Some moisture will entei
this belt from the hard earth beneath
1t, but the main dependence is upor
that which fails from the heavens
hence the necessity of the reservoi
described, which is $50 deep in the eartl
that, with proper prcaution, little NOR,
moisture can escape by evaporation
than is supplied by the hard earth be
meath the belt
ny that proper precautions" O
course, Is meant dust blanket, O
mulch of the first two inches of til
soil. This completely obliterates ca
pillarity through it, and moisture ca
not escape from the subhumid bel
|, by evaporation. And here lies hit
den rock on which have strande
, myriads of farmers ships of fame,
: They do not properly prepare the sui
himid belt and then protect it with
dust mulch. Example after exampl
: is reported where by the aid of thes
: two features excellent crops arc grow
! even in the driest seasons. By iud
cious management one may be said /
be almost independent of weather col
= ditions. A pleasing thought is tina
= we never hear of anyone abandonin
. the system after trial or speaking i
!, of it.
4 Cooperate right, the subsoil must |
. somewhat compressed. Capillarity ca
not occur in very loose soil. Let IL
harrow-teeth be set to enter IL
;. ground two inches. Then, after ploy
ing, harrow thoroughly until the su
! face is thoroughly fined. by this tin
q the tramping Of the team will ha,
properly frmed the subhumid belt,
that capillarity can occur, and the fiji
. plant-roots get firm hold Any afte
y cultivation to be the same depth
% two inches. Corn and potnto
Y to be cultivated as aoon aft
- every rain as the ground
:. dry enough. No crust to
:, allowed to remain longer than it CT
! fairly be broken up. This system i
=. wolves great deal of work; bnt it
Il labor that pays large dividends, +
A cultivation is manure, young mar
"a and when rightly done, 1t it bett
than manure without cultivatio
y Small grains may yet be planted
/. drills, and then be cultivated as co
\. Is. Cultivation conserves moistul
IN largely increases crops, makes bett
4. and happier farmers, and is u person
a. reminder of the divine words: 9TH
a. shalt eat bread" etc Galen W
i son, in Farm and Preside.
OI LEpE AMI THERE