The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-08-17
CROPS AND MOISTURE.
whence DO Crops Draw Ths'f supply
Of Water2

We have from time to time caiieS
the attention Of our readers 10 tne
fact that ordinarily we do not nave
sufficient rainfall even in the huinio
sections, during the crop growing sea
son. to produce full crop. Some ex-
periments conducted by the ontario
Agricultural college throw consider
able light on the question as 10 what
proportion of moisture crops draw
from me rain that falls throughout
the crop growing season or what from
the store of water below. IN iact, +"
is a vital point on which hangs the
whole question Of cultivation
The station last year took NUMBER
Of four-gallon crooks and set them
outside. where they would receive all
the rain that fell during the growing
season. They then sowed them 10
wheat. peas, barley, and oats, ana
watered them whenever 1t seemed
TO he necessary. The one that con-
tanned wheat used 22.60 inches OF wa
ter. of which but 1851 inches fell dur
ing the growing season. The peas
used 27.3S inches, of which lz.oe
inches fell during the season OF tneir
} growth. The barley used 1852 inches
} and the oats Ellis inches, while dur
ing the season of their growh but III
: inches of rain fell. In other words
, wheat required 2.15 times as mucn
! rain as fell during its growing sea
son. peas 2.19 times. barley 2.25 times
and oats 2.57 times.
These crooks were at first set on
the roof: then one-fourth OF then
were set on the ground, and anotnel
one-fourth in the ground. The resui
, was that there was no difference DC
tween the amount used by those Sc
ON the ground and those set in 1t; blu
these required less water than mos
Q that were set on the exposed rool
T. During this season there was at n
D. times a rainfall Of as much as wv
. inches.
It was discovered that the plant
le began TO wilt while the soil containe
at by actual test rs per cent. of water
K that a rain of 1.25 inches would SAT-
le rate the soil As inches, but as pal
y of this was carried down, 1t woul
~ moisten it to a depth of 8 or
m inches. It was found still furthe
u that a saturated loan contained fro
10 80 to 35 per cent. of water This WI
1t. in 1905. The year 1906 was wet. al
n it was discovered that in a wet sc
ly son the crops used about SO per Ger
more rain than actually fell, al
be hence drew one-third of their wat
ni- from below.
IN All this shows the importance, esI
ne cially in a dry season, of thoroul
ey and early cultivation of the soil, sa
ny Wallace's Farmer, thus forming
d. mulch of loose dirt and saving the v
ex- ter below for an emergency, which
40 quite certain to occur at some peri
%, of even q wet season.
10 We call the attention of our rel
an ers to this matter because we ha
OF become more convinced with
ed creased years and experience that
oss physical condition of the soil and
Id methods of putting it in this conditi
In are of a great deal more importar
SEQ to the average farmer than the gu
ton of the fertility itself. Maint
ance of fertility Is of very great
n. portance; but no matter how Ter
the soil. unless it can be put In 81
eas physical condition as viii permit
development of the roots OF the pl
and conserve moisture for use II
wn' dry time, good crop cannot In
the nature of things be expected.
yer.