Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-07-21
Root Growth in Drouth.
HOW THE FARMERS OF CONNECTICUT
FARED BETTER THAN THEY FEARED.

HOW THE FARMERS OF CONNECTICUT
FARED BETTER THAN THEY FEARED.
The late drouth in New England
teaches one lesson very perceptibly, and
that is that the roots of plants IN dry
weather grow low down into the soil
for moisture. After dry time such as
we have had lately the plants which had
ceased to grow above ground, and ap-
peared to be stunted to such an extent
that it was a question whether it were
not better to plough them under and
plant again, showed that they had been
digging in the ground for water and had
increased largely in root growth. They
had secured a firm hold in the earth;
and, although the foliage growth had
almost ceased, they had become stocky
and hardy. When the rain came they
grew rapidly above ground, showing
that they had formed larger root
growth and were able to assimilate more
of the plant food in the soil than if con-
ditions had been more apparently favor
able. Even the grass, which appeared
to have reached its growth, revived at
once with the rain, and not only thick
ened about the roots, but grew taller.
So serious was the outlook before the
rain that the farmers put the price of
hay up to such figure that none but
those actually destitute would buy; and
those who had surplus in their barns
and full complement of stock refused
to sell. Dairymen began to plal to
plough up fields sown to oats and plant
one of the catch crops, such as Hunga-
rian. Had the drouth continued week
longer many fields would have been
plonghed and planted with corn, and
little later others with millet. The rain
came opportuntely and changed the
entire condition of things. Young
stock. which would have been worked
off as baby beef, thus depriving the
! farmer of heifers and steers, was saved
to him. The pastures revived, the
promise of hay came and the price OF
! that in the barns began 10 fall. From
scarcity it became surplus, not from
any addition to the supply on hand, but
from the new and vigorous growth OF
the fields. Thus within eight days
remarkable change in conditions occur
red.
Just before the rain came one farmer,
who had not planted his corn, said:
my ground is so hard l can't plow 1t.
| tried it but the team could hardly get
the plow through the soil, and where
they did it turned up in such big, hard
Jumps that gave up. If had plough
ed il | could not have narrowed it, so
I'm Just waiting; but" he added, "God
is good; we've always had crops, and
guess we will STILL" This farmers
position is typical of that of the majority
through the section affected by the
drouth. Those who planted corn while
the ground was dry, who had had 1T
ploughed while in the friable condition,
complained that it did not come up.
One farmer attributed this failure to
sprout to the fact that he had mixed
coal tar with the corn and dried 1T with
master. But this could scarcely have
been the fact, fora neighbOr who did
the same thing, to preserve the corn
from crows and blackbirds, had good
stand of it. He planted his corn, how
ever, few days earlier than the other,
and ON land that was moist below the
surface, land that in wet weather is too
wet. One piece of corn that was plant
sd failed to germinate because the Ter
tilizer was dropped in the hill and the
corn on top of it, the planter relying up
on the covering of earth to prevent any
| in effects such as were seen. Ii the
weather had been such as ordinarily
occurs in planting time, or the ground
had been sufficiently moist, planting the
corn on the fertilizer might not nave
DESTROYED the germ; but dry soil, not
weather and the fertilizer next TO the
kernel proved too much for the germ.
| Other corn planted during the dry
weather, which did not come up, whlch
| was despaired of, is showing above the
surface since the rain. 1t had germinat-
ed and was struggling to get its leaves
into the air, but lacked sufficient moist
ure for that, yet it probably made good
use of its strength to form roots.
The weeds in open fields planted TO
corn and potatoes actually ceased to
grow, and those who hoed their crops
then and cultivated them killed that
crop of weeds. But those that were
not cut up during the dry weather have
demonstrated how vigorously they were
making root growth, although their
foliage appeared so shrunken, for since
the rain they have shot up into the air
with luxuriant growth, hiding the rows
of corn or potatoes almost entirely. IL
is a question if time would not be gained
and better crops by ploughing the whole
field of weeds and potatoes, narrowing
thoroughly and replanting, rather than
cultivating the crops that are so nearly
choked by the weeds. A piece OF oats
and peas that at first promised we'll, ana
after the drouth had progressed, appear
ed stunted and dwarfed to such an ex-
tent that the farmer decided to plough
it up and plant with corn, has since the
rain SO recovered and started to grow
that there is yet promise of hay from
il. though it may be somewhat short OF
the crop that would have been harvested
under ordinary conditions Of weather.
The roots of the oats and peas had evil
dently been going down into the SOIL 1or
moisture during the drouth, and no"
that raA has come these plants are grow
ing finely. -,
In like manner tobacco plants, which
at the end of the drouth appeared almost
dead, have revived and are growing
rapidly. In the section of New England
where the finest tobacco is growp-the
Connecticut Valley section-planters
we're becoming very serious, and yet
during the hottest, dryest time they con-
tinued to plant, and eagerly scanned the
Weather Bureau reports for promise OF
rain. The fields planted promise well,
although much of the crop is trifie
i. late. 1t may be, however, that the root
growth having become established in
the dry weather, will, now that rains
have come, send the foliage growth
along so rapidly that the cutting season
. may be as early as usual. AS noted be
: fore in the columns of The Tribune
/, Farmer, those fields that were most
I thoroughly and persistently cultivated
9 in the dry weather appear to the best
advantage now.
al When the drouth was broken gale
! from the southeast followed the first
q showers of rain. In some places it was
so severe as to do considerable injury
in most places in the Connecticut Valley
I, it was severe enough to give the fruit
trees a good shaking, so that they drop
ped half of the fruit that was set. The
l. ground under the trees looked as though
an the fruit had been blown off, but an
|, after examination of the trees showed
!. enough fruit remaining for crop; not
. a full crop, perhaps, and yet there may
?, he an Improvement in its size to balance