The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-12
Droughts and Fertility.

Philadelphia Record.
The recent drought has been the means
OF leading 10 considerable discussion as to
the best methods of mitigating the effects
of dry periods and before the present CEN
fury passes it is probable that drought will
no longer be the dread of farmers. Nature,
however. never does anything but for the ]
best and if droughts are considered from
all standpoints it will be found that there
some compensations for the damage in
fiicted. An excess of moisture carries away
from the soil a large proportion of the SOL
uble matter. The sea receives daily an i'm
mense amount of wealth from the soil that
does not return, as the fisheries do not re-
claim but a small fraction of that which is
lost. The constant draining away of plant
food would soon impOverish the earth, but
for the manureS and fertilizers applied,
and although the loss of fertility from each
farm may be small. yet it is large when the
entire surface of the earth is considered.
The rains, however, also dissolve and carry
down into the subSOil some of the plant
foods, and the soil is largely composed
OF mineral matter, which is being dissolved
10 certain extent at all times, wherever
the solvent (Water) goes the dissolved min
eral matter goes also. The subsOil itself is
also rich in the mineral elements, such as
potash, soda, lime, magnesia, phosphoric
acid, etc, combined as carbonates, phos-
pilates, silcates, sulphates, chlorides, etc.
l.
matter Immediately it does later, as it be-
comes charged in the soil with carbOnic
acid from decomposing vegetable matter,
and il then has the power of dissolving
some of the materials that are not soluble
in pure water. The deeper the cultivation
Of the soil and the better it is drained down
in the subsOil, the lower the soil moisture
descends and the more mineral matter is
dissolved.
When the soil moisture is sufficient the
plants thrive, but as the water is evapo-
rated from above the moisture from below
rises, through capillary attraction, and
when the surface is very dry, the dryness
extending deep into the SOIL the lower
moisture-that in the observation-disclosures to
find its way TO the surface. This soil mols-
ture is saturated with the dissolved min
eral matter, and brings il up on its passage
to the atmosphere, depOsiting it in the soil
in proportion evaporation occurs. Ma
ture thus provides a way for restoring to
the soil the mineral elements taken from
the surface and carried down into the
earth. But for this reclamation of the sol
uble plant foods the most fertile SOILS
would soon be exhausted, and 1t is tact
that the soil is richer after drought than
before. This mode of saving the farmer
from total loss may not be to his satisfac-
ton, as he sees only his present loss, but
he would be much poorer if the plant foods
carried beyond his reach were never re-
turned 1t is not intended here to advocate
the advantages of droughts, but until man
discovers some mode for escaping them
without losing that which is indispensable
to his existence the drought is in his favor
Even the most approved methods of irri-
CATION will not better his condition until
the loss of plant foods is arrested. Irriga-
ton, however, is practiced only where rain
does not fall in excess, and where the
farmer can also control his dry periods as
well his moisture.
Droughts are teaching farmers that they
can control the supply of moisture. BY
deep blowing and careful preparation of the
land abundant supply of moisture can
be stored in the lower soil. This moisture
will come to the surface as soon the up
per soil becomes dry. The farmer can per-
NIT ii TO come within an inch or two of the
surface, and then shut off the supply by
sealing the tops of the capillary tubes,
which IS done by covering them with dry
dirt. These tubes are not made in dry,
loose earth, but if the dry earth becomes
wet from rain, so as to compact 1t, the
water from below can then pass
through capillary tubes and come through.
1t Is necessary, therefore, to cover the tops
done by simply cultivating the soil
to the depth of one or two inches, just
enough to loosen the top soil. and bring the
moisture close to the surface possible,
in a manner so as not to break the roots
of the plants. This soil moisture from be-
low will contain large amounts of plant
food which the rains dissolved and carried
down and as long as it is not allowed to
escape it provides both food and water.
The farmer who only gives his corn a GER
tain number of workings" without re-
gard to conditions, must abandon his rule
and work after each rain. The weeds will
then be kept down because the moisture
they require is below the dry soil. If the
ground is well prepared before the seed is
planted, so as to form a storehouse, Or
| reservoir for moisture, and the topsoil kept
| loose, so as to form an earth blanket for
| preventing evaporation, droughts will be of
| benefit in bringing from below the various
| plant foods existing below the surface soil.