The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1905-04-28
WATERING OF PLANTS.


water. Much of this suffering might
easily be prevented by the applica-
ton of "a few of the simple princl-
pies of the movement OF water IN
soils. Systematic irrigation would
necessarily protect against damage
from this source. Aware OF TINS
fact. and knowing that abundance vi
water is all that many suffering
crops require for further healthy
growth, many efforts are annually
made to supply this demand without
actual irrigation. Seed-beds are
Drinkled, transplanted plants over
scores of acres are artiticlallY water
ed and often water is applied to long
rows of unsprOuted seeds III the
hope of thus enabling the crop to
start, which would perhaps never
come because of lack of rain.
A very large part OF all such efforts
are not only entirely useless, so FAR
as immediate results are concerned,
but many are actually harmful while
| all are extremely troublesome ana
expensive Thousands OF dollars
are thrown away in efforts to assist
tobacco and tomato plants to get
start in dry weather Many gar
! den crop is injured or ruined by the
sprinkling pot. Against some OF
these misfortune | hope to offer FRO
| lection.
or course irrigation is "crop insur-
ance," but is only occasionally prae-
tical in Florida; its use and misuse,
therefore, are not applicable to the
present discussion. Before consld-
ering the artificial use of water, by
other means than irrigation, few
words concerning the action OF water
in the soil are advisable.
It should be firmly fixed in mind
that all soils in localities OF average
rainfall, say 80 inches of water per
year, contain sufficient water at all
times to meet the entire demand OF
all crops, provided this water could
only be made accessible to the crop
1 when needed. There is always per-
lmanent water in the lower depths of
i the soil. This is always rising to the
surface and naturally evaporates
from the surface into the dry air.
This supply. and upward movement
of water, is equal to the needs of any
and all crops, if its waste can only
be prevented. All that is necessary
is to keep 1t in the soil, where the
plant roots can use it, instead of al
lowing it to pass away in the air and
be wasted. This is easily effected
by the repeated thorough pulveriZa-
ton of the upper surface of the soil.
The constant use of the cultivatOr,
harrow, weeder or sweep in times OF
drought perfectly accomplish this
result. / is this practice which has
removed all fear of serious drought
from the corn belt and has brought
millions of acres of land in Kansas.
Nebraska and the DakOtas, former
ly known as The Great American
Desert" into profitable cultivation,
and made these the great corn states.
Level, shallow cultivation during
times of drought is nearly perfect
protection against serious damage
from lack of water. The use of the
pillow, particularly of throwing up
burrows and ridges or beds at this
time, is so utterly disastrous and il
logical as to really justify legal pro
hibition, as against other public
evils.
The principles controlling the
movement of soil waters, which are
the foundation of the practice o
shallow cultivation, furnish the key
to the proper use of water during
times of soil dryness. The fac
; which should be fixed in mind i.
,, this: The more compact the surface
soil the greater is the loss of water
!, from the soil. Anything which com
!, pacts the surface necessarily results
.. in waste of saltwater A ligh
Lei iC Phi 70 il
! this condition. A firm thin crust il
7, formed on the surface. How Offer
we hear the remark that "A certain
shower seems to have done no good
Yet the person making the observa
. ton seldom applies the obvious les
! son.
{ After every light shower, if tn,
= crop needs water, the surface crus
should be broken by cultivator Of
> weeder The surface then becomes
! dry dust covering through which
! the water of the next lower soil can
= not pass and escape into the air. |
is therefore retained where the plan
may use it,
r The artificial use of water is gov
erned by the same facts. The planti
: are watered or sprinkled. Thu
: quantity of water applied is Otter on
ly sufficient to dry into solid CAKE
at the surface, and does more harm
than good. This crust should b,
. broken by use of weeder, cultivate
. or rake, so that the water applied
may become available.
n Seed is often planted in soil to-
dry to admit of rapid termination
The row is often artificially watered
. Too often the harm exceeds all pos
1 sible benefit. If the drought follow
O the planting, so that water is after
wards used, the following surface
crust must be broken if benefit is t,
,, be secured. By far the preferabl
course is to apply the water befor
the seed is planted. Fill the furow
or hill with water. When it ha
soaked up plant the seed, and cover
then bring little fine dry soil owe
the spot. In this way the small
n amount of water used, not able t,
r evaporate through the dry loose GOV
!, ering, will keep the soil in which
the seed lies sufficiently moist to en-
{ able it to terminate without delay
a The same facts applied-to the wa
+ tering of transplanted plants result
n in similar benefits. A pint of waite
+ applied to the hole in which tOma
: to plant is set, and then covere,
with fine loose soil, will do NOR
good than gallon applied to til
surface after the plant is set. Trans
q planting machines are all construct
4 ed on this principle, and carry waite
Il as an Indispensable part of thei
!, equipment. Yet hand transplantin
Is is the rule with most of our Gro
growers, a large part of whom still
= fail to take advantage of these e'
:. tablished principles and practice
!, facts.
/ When il is remembrred how larg