Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-01-24

of the annual rainfall. As n result,
all of the soluble mineral matter. The
product of the centuries of wealth
ering to which the soil has been sub
jected, is held in the surface layers
and is available for the use of the
plants Furthermore, the methods
OF tillage followed give conditions that
enormously accelerate this weathering
process. so that so far as the mineral
salts are concerned, the indications
are that summer following and alter
nate year cropping can be depended
upon TO keep up the supply of min
eral plant food. 1t Us necessary,
however to provide for a continuous
supply of nitrogen In soil being con-
tinuously cropped with grain. Grain
crops require a considerable nitro
gen supply, and they REQUIRE that II
be in an Immediately available form
and at very definite period in the
life Of the plant. The available nit
rogen of the soil Is drawn partly from
the organic matter. which contains
heterogeneous compounds. and partly
from the air by micro organisms cap
able of utilizing nitrogen gas. Since
these organism must have organic
matter of some sort to live on, 1t
becomes doubly important to provide
q continued supply of organic matter
in soils being continually cropped by
a fortunate coincidence, this result
conscious design. 1t has been the cus-
tom in farming the dry land OF this
region To use headers instead of bind
ers in harvesting grain. As a result
n large amount OF loose straw Is an
nually plowed under, and the amount
of organic matter in the soil is prob
ably increased at a more rapid rate
than II was under virgin conditions. If
this custom is, as II now apears to he,
an important factor in maintaining the
productiVeness OF these dry farms. it
should most certainly be preserved. 1t
would be a misfortune indeed IL this
continued supply Observation-Disclosures
be reduced, which would be the case,
for instance, If II became the custom
to burn over these wheat fields after
harvst instead of blowing under tho
straw. or II the straw should be cut
close to the ground and hauled away
and not returned TO the land in tho
form of manure
THE conclusions are. I'm part at
least, based ON theory rather than on
actual observation or experiments.
They are of sufficient Importance to
warrant serious consideration until eff
fectually disproved.
CONCLUSIONS REACHED.
"To summarize these conclusions
briefly IL might be said that the pres
ent indications are that summer
IullbWllH WIN dlltINhle Stdl crop
ping, applied TO grain production In
the Great Basin, makes It possible TO
grow profitable crops with a rainfall
so light that cropping every year
would be impossible; also, that the
practise of summer following as APP
piled In this region, particularly when
II includes the blowing under after
each crop OF n large amount of or
ganic mates. results IN keeping up, II
not In actually increasing, the produce
ing capacity OF the soil. There are
one on two minor features In con-
nectlon with that practise, that need
further emphasis II has been found.
for instance. on some soils particu-
larly those rich In lime. that COM
tlnuoua shallow cultivation In sum
mer fallow results I'm the formation OF
"a thin hardpan at a depth of about
two or three inches I'm the furroW
slice just below the rust mulch. This
condition can be avoided, or at least
It's injurious eject reduced. II the
depth of cultivation In maintaining
the rust mulch Is varied with each
operation; that Is. IN using the disc
harrow for instance. II II can be run
deep one time and shallow the next
the formation of this hardpan can be
nearly, IL not quite, avoided. This
hardpan rs injurious not only because
! II prevents the ready penetration OF
| tho first autumn rain following the
seuson Of summer fallow but II also
| excludes the air from the lower part
OF the furrow slice where 1t rs needed
| 90 carry on the humification OF the or
| ganic matter previously nlowed under.
/