The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-10-28
0EEP FALL PlOW|Ne.
nzE ADVANTAGES OF THOROUGH
PREPARATION OF LAND.
m Impo~tant Bulletin Issued In Con-
ncctsoa With the Farm Demonstra-
ston Work Of ehe Agricultural De-
partmcnt in the southern States.

GS Cooperative Demonstration Work
ln the Southern States II was found
uncesssry to outline the fundamental
principles OF good farming and to in
- that tho tillers OF the soil should
nssone familiar with them and prac-
o. them as q nrst step In the better
usent Of farm life. We have pre-
v1eusly stated these first principles.
sst possibly they should be more full
6 explained.
Prsparssioa Of tho Seed Bed.
Prepare s.deep and thoroughly pull
vsrizs ssed bed. we'll drained: break
sa the fan 10 depth Of 8. 10. or II
snsAss. aecording to the soil. with i'm
pssmeuts that will not bring too much
81 ths sphsoii to the surface. (rhs
fsrsgo,as depths should be reached
0sadnsiiy.D =,
rhs presoacs Of heat. air and moist
He u ssseatial to chemical and germ
ontion sa the preparation of plant food
q ths sosl The depths to which these
psnetssss ths soil depend upon the
dspth Of the blowing. provided the
90 - VEL drained. There is no use
a paowtas down into subsoil full Of
WAtsr. fafk,gr
II has besa proved beyond question
e&nt the roots Of plants penetrate the
- deeper and feed deeper In deeply
DDwsd land. Thus. In general, Il
nAy bs stated that when the soil il
poD~ed . inches deep the plants have
inches Of food; when plowed 8
snrhes deep. they have inches of
fssa. aad when piowed 10 inches deep
ehsU have 10 inches Of food. The fact
ehaf the bottom portions Of the plow-
e sAnd are not as rich in available
slant food a. the top portions shows
ohs necessity Of getting more air and
heat down TO them by deeper tiliasc.
The most essential condition for
Ssrtns soii u . constant supply Of
oshturs, - that , film of water can
envslcp the soil particles and absorb
ausntive eiements The hair roots Of
plants drink this for nourishment. II
ehsre v any more than enough to
ssrve a. nims for the soil particles
and capillary water, there is too much
and IL should be drained on. This
can be determined by digging q hole
70 Inches deep. II there is standing,
water In the bottom OF the hole. II In
dseatcs too much water In the soil or
uubsoIf
Tue capacity Of given soil to held
Nm asd capillary moisture depends
spDn hsw nneiy Il II puiverised and
upon the amount Of humus In Il. Un-
Slowed lands retain but little water.
thoroughly puiverised soil 3 inches
assp cannot store enough to make q
mop-
In IN Southern States there are ev-
~ year periods OF drought, some-
0Dss serious. but generally sufficient
~ protracted 10 reduce the crop. The
rsnedy for this is increased storage
capacity FOE moisture. This can be
asoomSilsAed BY deep and thorough
uuase and by niling the soil with hu-
mus (psrtiy dscayed vegetation.) Tho
s1set of deep tiilage has been ex-
D1aioea. The eeRoct Of humus Is to
grsassy Increase the storage capacity
of the soils for water and to reduce
evaporation. A pound OF humus will
seore seven and one-haif times ~
much moisture an q pound Of sand.
and the sand will lose Its water by
evaporation three and one-haif times
more rapidly than the humus. A
clay soil will store only about one
fourth as much moisture as humus.
ssa wim lose Il by evapor alton twice
- rapidly.
F'ants use an enormous quantity OF
water. An acre OF good corn will alb
ssrb and evaporatr during It's growth
unariy 10 inches OF water. About
three-fosrths OF this amount will be
ressirsd during the last seventy Ave
avs of Its growth. or mt the rate Of
3 2-s ioches Of water a month. This
- In addition to evaporation from the
sDsi. which. even with the retarding
influence OF a dut mulch. will amount
On several inches each month In mid
summer. In case the land Is piowed
only or 4 inches deep. though thor
ouxbiy pulxerizel. II will store an
amount of moisture entirely insuhi-
cient 90 supply crop requirements In
any protractcd drought These shall
low and generally poorly prepared
.csH n,uAa e.ra a.. o,,,.. r