Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-08-03
CROPS AND MOISTURE.
Whence DO Crops Draw Their Supply
of Water7


We have from time TO time called
the attention OF our readers to the
fact that ordinarily we do not have
sufficient rainfall even in the humid
sections. during the crop growing sea-
son. to produce fun crop. Some ex-
pcriments conducted by the Ontario
Agricultural college throw consider
able light On the question as 20 what
proportion of moisture crops draw
from the rain that fails throughout
the crop growing season or what from
the store OF water below. In fact. II
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 TO
wheat, peas. barley. and oats. and
watered them whenever IL seemed
to be 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 21.JS inches. OF which 1850
inches fen during the season of their
growth. The barley used 1882 inches
and the oats 2I.I5 inches. while dur
ms the season of their growth but 791
inches of rain fell In other words.
wheat required 2.15 times as much
rain as fell during its growing sea
son, peas PIG times. barley 2.25 times
and oats 257 times.
These crooks were at first set on
the root; then onefourth of them
We're set en- the ground. and another
one-fourth in the ground. The result
was that there was no difference be
tween the amount used By those set
on the ground and those set in it: bat
these required less water than those
that were set on the exposed roof.
During this season there was at no
time a rainfall OF as much as two
inches
II was discovered that the plants
began to wilt while the soil contained
by actual test 7.3 per cent. of water:
that a rain OF l25 inches would satu-
rate the soil IS inches. but as part
OF this was carried down. Il would
moisten 80 10 a depth of or 10
inches. 10 was found still further.
that saturated loan contained from
80 60 80 per cent. of water This was
in 1895. The year 1906 was wet. and
IL was discovered that I'm a wet sea
son the crops used about so per cent.
more rain than actually fell. and
hence drew one-third of thei. water
from below.
All this shows the Importance, espe-
cially in a dry season. OF thorough
and early cultivation Of the soil. SAYS
Wallace's Farmc-. thus forming a
mulch OF loose dirt and saving the wa
ter below for an emergency. which is
quite certain 20 occur ~ some period
OF even n wet season
We call the attention OF our read
ers 20 this matter because we have
become more convinced with in
creased years and experience that the
physical condition OF TIE soil and the
methods OF putting it in this condition
are of a great deal more importance
20 the AVERAGE farmer than the cues
ton Of the fertility i.selL Mainten-
ance OF fertility Is of very great i'm
portance; but no matter how fertile
the soil. unless IL can be put I'm such
physical coalition as viii permit fun
development OF the roots OF the plant
and conserve moisture for use in a
dry time, a good crop cannot In the
nature OF things be expected.