The Elbert County tribune., 1905-11-09

Regions having an annual rainfall oil
less than twenty and more than eight
inches are usually considered as semi
arid. To successfully grow crops in
such regions requires a careful study
of soil and climatic conditions, with a
selection Of crops as nearly adapted to
these conditions as possible, Even
when all requirements are seemingly
met, failure is sometimes the only re-
suit. Experience, and experiments al
ready conducted in many parts of our
Nations semi-arid belt, demonstrate
that the preparation of soil reservoir
of good depth several months before
seeding, the thorough culture of this
ground before and after seeding, the
selection of suitable varieties of crops,
the seed of which is grown under dry
farming conditions, are essentials
which very largely determine success
in farming lands in Colorado where ir-
rigation can not be practiced.
The preparation of the soil reservoir
and seed beds calls for careful plowing,
narrowing and subsurface packing.
l. Plowing-Jethro Tull nearly two
centuries ago said "Tillage is manure
Roberts Fertility says that stirring
and mixing the soil is the one funda-
mental labor of agriculture The object
of plowing should be to pulverize the
soil, making it possible to prepare a
good seed bed for the reception of the
various farm seeds. The depth to plow
must depend upon the time of plowing,
the character of the SOL and the crop
to be grown.
Shallow plowing is preferred for
shallow soils underlaid by an inferior
sub-soil lacking in plant food. Spring
plowing for early crops should not be
as deep as fall plowing for the same
crops. Experiments have shown that
deep plowing of stiff or clayey, adobe
land in the spring turns up unworked
or new soil in which most of the plant
food is not available on account of the
mechanical condition of the ground.
Crops on lands thus plowed often make
an unfavorable growth. 1t is nearly al
ways desirable to plow sandy and
sandy loan soils deep, since the plant
food contained in these soils is easily
available and the deep plowing brings
more plant food to the surface for the
tender young plant to feed upon, Civ
ing it sturdy growth at the start
All deep plowing is best done in the
summer or fall. This permits the
weathering of the soil. through the fall
and winter, making its mechanical tex
ture more desirable and the plant food
available. Deep plowing assists water
to percolate or pass through to lower
depths. Hence it increases the water
holding capacity of the soil most
important element in semi-arid farm
ing. The deeper the plowing the
greater the soil reservoir. Experiments
conducted at the Cornell Experiment
Station, New York, by DR.. Roberts.
show that an acre of average soil in
good tilth will hold twenty to twenty
five per cent. of moisture and not be
too moist for cultivation. 1t is esti-
mated that an acre of soil twelve
inches deep will weigh 1,S00 tons if
it contains twenty per cent of mois-
ture, ,620 tons If it contains eight per
cent. of moisture-the amount upon
which plants are able to grow and
maintain themselves. Dr. Roberts says
that an inch of rainfall brings to each
acre 113 7-16 tons of water If this
could all be retained in average soil
1t would mean almost 3-5 per cent
moisture, nearly enough to maintain
plant growth. Well fined soil is Ca
pable of taking up two inches of rain
fall in the first foot of soil and still
be in good condition to cultivate Sup
pose that this soil is deeply plowed
and contains fifteen per cent. mos-
ture, an inch or a two-inch rain would
find the soil reservoir able to hold it,
If this ground were shallow plowed
say four inches, an inch rain would sat
urate the reservoir. while a two-inch
rain would overflow the soil reservoir.
causing loss of water and severe
washing away of the surface soil. Deep
plowing. therefore. increases the stor
age capacity of moisture in our soils
from which the plant draws as it has
need.
Good plowing gives a clean-cut fur
row on side and bottom. 1t turns the
inverted furrow slice upon edge in
moderately well pulverized condition
with but few air spaces at the bottom
edge of the furrow slice. A good coul-
ter lessons draft and aids in making
clean-cut furrow. Dislting the
ground before plowing is advantageous
but increases the expense of preparing
the seed bed.
A seed bed from one to three inches
deep can be prepared without plowing
The young plants may grow sturdily
at first, but if the soil is not in physi-
cal condition to store the moisture nee
essary TO dissolve the plant food and
render 1t available for the growing
plant. lack of nourishment will bring
1t to an untimely end and the crop will
prove failure. Very successful crops
are grown this way. when the moisture
is supplied by ditch or sub-irrieation.
but it is always hazardous to attempt
cropping without thorough tlllage un.
der semiarid conditions.
A disc plow will often leave the soil
in good condition for the harrow
when the ground is too hard for a mold
board plow to do satisfactory work.
The drier the ground the more narrow
shomld be the fnrrnuu uhnthnr L.