The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-03-25
TIE SUEHUMlD BELT.
Natures Laboratory Where Shs Perfor IN
Her COMPROMISING Func lions.


In the south they have the black belt |
of land, in the north the corn belt, and |
in the west the wheat belt; but east, |
west, north and south there exists |
greater and more important soil belt |
than all the others ombined--indeed, |
none of these could exist and produce |
with out 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 mrs-
teriously performs most of her futc-
tions necessary to crop productica;
and without this particular workshup
the earth would be 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 a
rule plant-roots get their nutriment
beneath this.
This belt is humid-moist. 1t is an
lntleXible law of nfture 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 ba be 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 IS to moisture than
it 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 plow the ground eight inches
or more III depth will furnish 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 suita BILE drainage to convex
away surplus. Pour child's cup of
milk into barrel of water and it
could not take enough of the dilxtion
to sustain life. Capillarity of soil is
too little needed. When fine enough
Tor growth Of plants it is full of pores.
or holes, and by capillary attraction
moisture will travel in all directions.
Inns 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 If in coarse Jumps, attraction Is
not powerful enough to take moisturs
from one lump to the other. Soil in
what is called good filth" is in the
right condition, provided the particles
are sufficiently pressed together,
There should be no cavities or clods in
this belt, for they would defeat capil
larry action. Some moisture will enter
TINS belt from the hard earth beneath
1t, but the main dependence is upon
that which falls from the heavens
hence the necessity of the reseryoi,
described, which is so deep in the eartl
!, that, with proper prcaution, little more
moisture can escape by evaporation
than is supplied by the hard earth be-
meath the belt.
ny that proper preeautibn," q
course, is meant dust blanket. O,
). mulch OF the first two inches of the
!, soil. This completely cbliterates ca
plilarlty through it. and moisture ca,
not escape from the subhumid bel
by evaporation. And here lies a hid
den rock on which have stranded
myriads of farmers ships of fancy
, ihey do not properly prepare the su b
d, mind belt, and then protect it with .
. dust mulch. Example after example
4 Is reported where by the aid Of thes,
two features excellent crops are grow
even In the driest seasons. By Judi
clous management one may be said t,
y, be almost independent of weather con
ditions. A pleasing thought is tina
we never hear of anyone abandoning
tne system after trial or speaking il
= Of It,
l cooperate right, the subsoil must b.
somewhat compressed. Ca pillarity cal
) not occur in very loose soil. Let TIN
s harrew"teeth be set to enter tn,
o ground two inches. Then, after pluv
: ing, harrow thoroughly until the sur
t face is thoroughly fined By this tim
i, the tramping of the team will hav
l.. properly trmed the subhumid belt. s.
Il that capillarsty can occur, and the I'm
plant-roots get firm hold. ANY after
$ cultivation to be the same depth O
.. two inches. Corn and potatoe
to be cultivated as soon ate
every rain as the ground l
:, dry enough. No crust to b
allowed to remain longer than it cal
!. fairly be broken up. This system in
wolves great deal of work; but it i
!. labor that pays large dividends, TO
= 'cultivation is manure, young man,
: and when rightly done, it it bette
, than manure without cultivation
y Small grains may yet be planted il
drills, and then be cultivated as corr