Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-10-09
PRESS BULLETIN.
New Mexico College Of Agriculture
and Mechanic Arts and Expert
ment Station.

The New Mexico experiment station
has recently issued a bulletin givins
in detail the results of experiments
extending through two seasons. on thu
amounts Of moisture in the soil OF TIL
station farm. under different amounts
af IRRIGATION and cultivation.
Twentsfour plats. each OF aboui
ons-twentieth acre. were planted Ii
corn.
The plats in each rpNof four, II
ing east and west received the same
number of irrigatians while the rows
received different numbers Of irriga
tons.
The plats were cultivated in row
Of six. lying north and south. Some
were cultivated once . week, some
once iii two weeks, some once in thref
weeks. and others once in four weeks
One row was not cultivated at all.
One row was irrigated during the
winter and the others were not, and
one row was ~sub-soiled
The object Of the experiments was
to answer certain questions which
with the results obtained, are given
below:
/. How do the Yields of corn irrigat'
cd in the Mexican way-the first irri.
CATION al time Of planting, the second
before t~asseling, and the third when
The grain is forming-compare with
those obtained BY using more frequent
and less frequent irrigations2
While this method will produce a
fair crop. 1t Is probable that in or
binary seasons from II to three adj
ditional irrigations may be given with
advantage.
3 What is the relation between the
amount Of moisture In the soil, the
number Of irrigations. and the yield
of corn?
In general, the moisture content OF
the soil and yield of corn increase
with the number Of irrigations; but
on the individual plats there is little
if any connection between moisture
content and yield.
3. What is the effect Of different
numbers Of CIVILIZATIONS on both the
moisture content Of the soil and the
yield Of corn?
The custom in this valley OF partial
" substituting irrigation for cultiya-
tion is not without some foundation.
The moisture content Of the soil and
the yield Of corn are not materially
increased by frequent surface culti-
d Does ~sub.soiling have any mark
cd effect on either the moisture con
tent of the soil or the yield Of corn!
Snb-soiling in these tests has not
proved to be of marked advantage.
5. What is the amount of moisture
in the soil when corn shows decided
drought effects?
On this soil-clay loam-corn Wits
when the amount of moisture ialis
much below 20 per cent.
6. Does irrigation applied in winter
have any marked effect on1the moist
IRE in the soil during the spring ana
summer?
The benefit derived from winter IL
rigation will depend mainly on the
texture Of both surface and sub-soii,
n these tests its benefit was con-
fined mainly to insuring good germin-
alton.
7. rs there any great amount q
lateral percolation in these soils!
In the clay loan soils OF the Me,
silla valley, lateral percolation Is very
slight.
II Il practically impossible with or.
binary implements to produce a dus'
mulch on the clay loan and clay soils
81 the Mesilla valley because Of the
hardness OF the clods into which the
ground breaks. Experiments made by
many other stations have shown that
where d dust mulch can be made, y
is very valuable in keeping the mois'
ture in the soil and in this way en-
abling the crops to Withstand drought
]. d. TINSLEY.
Sept. 80. 1903.
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