The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-10-16
DEEP FALL FLOWING AND
THE SEED BED.

mers' Cooperative Demonstration
Work in the Southern States it was
found necessary to outline the funda-
mental principles Of good farming
and to insist that the tillers Of the
soil should BECOME familiar with
them and practice them as first
step in the betterment Of farm life.
We have previously stated these first
principles, but possibly they should
be more fully explained.
Prepare a deep and thoroughly pull
verized seed bed, we'll drained; break
in the fall to a depth of 8: 10, or II
inches, according to the soil, with
implements that will not bring too
much Of the subsoil to the surface.
(The foregoing depths should be
reached gradually
The presence Of heat, air, and mois-
ture is essential to chemical and germ
action in the prepartion Of plant food
in the soil. The depths to which these
penetrate the soil depend upon the
depth of the plowing, provided the
soil is we'll drained. There is no use
in plowing down into subsoil, full
Of water.
It has been proved beyond ques-
ton that the roots of plants penetrate
the soil deeper and feed deeper in
deeply plowed land. Thus, in general,
It may be stated that when the soil is
plowed inches deep the plants have
8 inches Of food; when plowed 6
inches deep, they have 6 inches Of
food, and when plowed 10 inches
deep they have 10 inches Of food. The
fact that the bottom portions Of the
plowed land are not as rich in avail
able plant food as the top portions
shows the necessity Of getting more
air and heat down to them by deeper
tillage.
The most essential condition for
fertile soil is constant supply OF
moisture. so that a film Of water can
envelop the soil particles and absorb
nutritive elements. The hair roots
Of plants drink this for nourishment.
If there is any more than enough to
serve as films for the soil particles
and capillary water, there is too
much and it should be drained off.
This can he determined by digging a
hole 20 inches deep. IF there is stand
ing water il the bottom Of the hole,
it indicates too much water in the
soil or subsoil.
The capacity Of a given soil to
hold film and capillary moisture de-
pends upon how finely it is pulveriz-
ed and upon the amount Of humus in
it. Unplowed lands retain but little
water. Thoroughly pulverized soil 3
inches deep can not store enough to
make crop.
In all Southern States there are
every year periods Of drought, some
times not serious. but generally suf-
fciently protracted to reduce the crop.
The remedy for this is increased stor-
age capacity for moisture. This can
be accomplished by deep and thorough
tillage and by filling the soil with
humus (partly decayed vegetation)
The effect Of deep tillage has been
explained. The effect Of humus is to
greatly increase the storage capacity
Of soils for water and to reduce evap-
oration. A pound of humus will store
seven and one-half times as much
moisture as pound Of sand, and the
sand will lose its water by evapora-
tion three and one-half times more
rapidly than the humus. A clay soil
will store only about one-fourth as
much moisture as humus, and Will
lose it by evaporation twice as rapid
ly.
Plants use an enormous quantity
Of water. An acre Of good corn Will
absorb and evaporate during its
growth nearly 10 inches Of water.
About three-fourths Of this amount
will be required during the last sew
enty-five days of its growth, or at the
rate of 2 2-5 inches of water a month
This is in addition TO evaporation
from the soil, which, even with the
retarding influence of a dust mulch,
will amount to several inches each
month in midsummer. In case the
land is plowed only 3 or 4 inches
deep, though thoroughly pulverized, it
will store an amount Of moisture en-
tirely insufficient to supply crop re-