Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1900-03-03
Campbell's Soil Culture.

Method" is based on the theory that
the amount of water in the soil is
largely governed by the mechanical
condition of the top seven or eight
inches. The proper mechanical con-
ditIon is attained bv merely working
the soil. In the arid belt proper
working of the ground will give
good crop in seasons of total failure
by common tillage, and mammoth
crop when the old method gives
small Weld.
WHAT Is THE CAMPBELL METHOD?
sit consists in a complete rear
rangement and pulverizing of the top
seven or eight inches of soil, and
turning it as nearly bottom upwards
as possible. The plant food in the
soil is found at the end of each sea-
son very largely concentrated in the
top four inches. This plant food
must be plowed down into the bottom
of furrow seven or eight inches
deep. From this depth it will be
placed, by theactIon of moisture, just
where the little feeders of the plant
roots want it. Immediately after
plowing, the lower four inches of the
furrow-slice must he pa kid firm as
possible, for four important reasons:
1. To completely obIiterate all cav
tiles. Where the furrow lies loose,
the air circulates under the plants,
and the ground dries out. 1t must
not be permitted to do this. 1t is
ruinous TO the crop.
?. To cause moisture to gather
from six to eight inches from the sur
face. Why? Because the stubble
and manure, and other vegetable mat
ter, is there, and water is necessary
to rot it and tit it for the food of the
crops. Unless this is done the plants
are robbed of their most valuable
food.
3. To get the right conditions for
rapid root-growth in the>sarly part of
the season. For this fine, firm,
moist soil must be had. The lower
part of the furrow-slice is the root |
bed, and must be kept in just the |
right condition if we are to get a
rapid and vigorous root-growth.
4. BY forming the root-bed we hold |
more moisture. More than this: The |
pores in the ground are made so small |
that the Mater creeps through the I
soil readily by the force called ''cap-
Hilary attraction" By increased cap
Hilary attraction moisture is drawn
more rapidly and from a greater dis
tance. This gives the plant food and
drink at critical times. when the
weather is hot, when the hot winds
blow, and when the evaporation from
the leaves is greatest. Your crop
never suffers at sucli times if there is
plenty of water for the roots. But a
of water at that point may
ruin your whole crop in a day.
FREQUENT SURFACE CULTIVATION.
After the deep plowing and the
packing the next import
ant step is to keep the upper two
inches of the surface soil constantly
loose and dry. This forms soil
mulch or dust blanket. For what
purpose? To cut off the moist earth
below from the effects of the air.
Water cannot pass through loose dry
soil by capillary attraction; there
fore, the dust blanket protects the
moisture in the root-bed from evapor- !
alton, and saves all the natural rain
fall for the use of the plants. Strong
attraction is desired in the
root-bed; therefore, the root-bed is
packed. No capillary attraction is
desired in the surface soil; therefore.
the dust blanket is formed.
HOW TO APPLY THE CAMPBELL
METHOD.
Seven or eight inch plcwing is best
done with a sixteen or eighteen inch
sulky plow. Good. even blowing is
important Be sure YOU have the
depth. Measure it: don't guess at it.
FOLLOW as close to the plow as pcssi-
bile with the subsurface packing.
Make it your rule to pack all YOUR
iaud the same day it is plowed.
The soil mulch, or dust Blanket, is