The Ordway new era., 1905-11-10

i
inches are usually considered as semi
arid. To successfully grow crops II
such regions requires careful stud!
OF soil and climatic conditions. with .
selection of crops as nearly adapted tt
these conditions as possible. Ever
when all requirements are seemingly
met, a failure is sometimes the only re
suit. Experience. and experiments a.
ready conducted In many parts OF oui
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 II
rigation can not be practiced.
The preparation of the soil reservoir
and seed beds calls for careful plowing,
narrowing and sub-surface packing.
!. PIowing.-Jethro Tull nearly two
hEo htht@' 10
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 II possible 10 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 soil 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 plowinE 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. Ii 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 II 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 plowinS assists water
to percolate or pass through to lower
depths. Hence II increases the water.
nnlIfng Tffxv ~ rh.. al
important element In seml-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. II Is estl.
mated that an acre OF soil twelve
inches deep will weigh 1900 tons II
1t contains twenty per cent. of mols.
ture. l.G20 tons If II contains eight per
cent. Of moisturc-the amount upon
which plants are able to grow and
maintain themselves. DIR. Roberts saws
that an inch OF rainfall brings to each
acre 1l3 1-iG tons Of water. II this
could all be retained In average soil
1t would mean almost SO 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. mois
ture; an inch or a two-Inch rain would
find the soil reservoir able to hold II
If this ground were shallow piowed
say four inches. an inch rain would sat
urate the reservoir. while a two.incl
rain would overflow the soil reservoir
causing loss of water and sever,
washing away of the surface soil. Deer
plowing. therefore. increases the stor
age capacity of moisture in our soil.
from which the plant draws as 1t has
need.
Good plowing gives clean-cut fur
row on side and bottom. II turns tn,
inverted furrow slice upon edge I'm ,
moderately well pulverized cond.tio,
with but few air spaces at the bottom
edge of the furrow slice. A good coul
ter lessons draft and aids in maxim,
clean-cut furrow. Disking III,
ground before plowing is advantageous
but increases the expense of preparin,
tne SEED Ded.
A seed bed from one to three inche
deep cal be prepared without plowins
The young plants may grow sturdI,
at first, but If the soil is not in phys
cal condition 10 store the moisture nee
essary to dissolve the plant food an,
render 1t available for the growIni
plant. lack of nourishmont will brini
1t to an untimely end and the crop vii
prove failure. Very successful crop
are grown this way. when the moistur
Is supplied by ditch or sub.irrigatior
but 1t Is always hazardous to attemp
cropping without thorough tillage III
der semi-arid conditions.
A disc plow will often leave the so
In good condition for the harro,
when the ground is too hard for a mol
board plow to do satisfactory worl
The drier the ground the more narro,