Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-07-11
CROPS AND
Whence Do Crops Draw Their Supply
Of Water2

We have from time to time called
the attention of our readers 10 inc
fact that ordinarily we do not hav0
sufficient rainfall even In the humid
sections, during the crop growing sea-
son, to produce a full crop. Some ex-
%pcrinlents conducted by the ontario
Agricultural college throw consider
able light on the question as to what
proportion Of moisture rop draw
from the rain that falls throughout
the crop growing season or what from
the store Of water below. In fact, 1t
is a vital point on which hangs the
whole question of cultivation.
The station last year took a 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, n oats, and
watered them whenever 1t seemed
to be necessary. The II that ron
tanned wheat Used 22.6 inches of wa.
ter, of which but 1O.5l inches fell dur.
ing the growing season. The peas
used 27.38 inches, of which 1880
inches fell during the season of their
growth. The barley used 1882 inches
and the oats 2l.15 inches, while dur
ing the season of their growth but 7.9l
inches of rain fell. In other words,
wheat required 2.l5 times as much
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 them
were set on 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 1t: but
these required less water thar those
that were set on the exposed roof.
During his season there waS at no
time a rainfall OF as much as two
inches.
1t wal discovered that the plants
began to wilt while the soil contained
by actual test 7.3 per cent. of water;
that a rain of l.25 inches would satu.
rate the soil AS inches, but as part
of this was carried down, It would
moisten It to a depth OF 8 Or 10
inches. 1t was found still further,
that Il saturated loan contained from
30 10 80 per cent. of water. This was
in 1905. The year 1906 vas wet, and
1t was discovered that in a wet sea
son the crops used about so per cent.
more rain thar actually fell, and
hence drew onethird Of their water
from below.
All this shows the Importance, espc-
cially in a dry season, OF thorough
and early cultivation of the soil, says
Wallacc's Farmer, thus forming Il
mulch of loose dirt and saving the wa.
ter below for an emergency, which Is
quite certain to occur at some period
of even a wet season.
We call the attention OF our read
ers to this matter because we have
become more convinced with In.
creased years and experience that the
physical condition of the soil and the
methods of putting it in this condition
are of u great deal more importance
TO the average farmer than the Ques.
.tion of the fertility itself. Mainten.
ance of fertility is Of very great Inn
l%pOrtancc; but no matter how fertile
the soil, unless 1t can be put In such
physical condition as will perxit full
development Of h roots of the plant
and conserve moisture for use In a
dry time, "A good crop cannot in the
nature Of things bo expected.