The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-08-05
IN HUMID REGIONS
Proper Conservation OF Soil Mois-
ture Needed for Crops.
In Corn Culture Cultivation Should
Follow Every Heavy Rain, to
Break the Crust and Form
Soil Mulch.

To mention the application of the
principles of dry farming" in the hui
mid regions In n season when the
rains We're so heavy and frequent for
several weeks in May and June that
corn cultivation could not go on for
two days in succession would almost
seem a positive offense, But let us
consider the subject a little, says
Farm and Fireside. In hot weather
following rains the ground quickly
bakes, or surface crust is formed,
particularly on clay soils. Now here
Is just where the application of the
Campbell system of soil culture comes
in with remarkably favorable results.
In corn culture. for example, cultiva-
ton should follow every heavy rain
rs soon as the ground Is In proper
condition, to break the crust and to
form a soil mulch. For If the crust Is
not broken and the mulch of loose
earth formed, the soil moisture is
quickly evaporated; and If a rainless
period of only ten days follows. the
corn begins to suffer for water Then
we complain of drought, and say the
corn needs rain. What 1t really needs
Is the conservation of soil moisture
by proper and timely cultivation.
This point becomes more forcible
when we consider that the average
rainfall in the humid regions during
the corn-growing season does not fur
nish sufficient available water after
allowinE for surface drainage and
evaporation, for the crop to make a
full yield, The corn crop depends
largely on water conserved In the soil
from the early rains of the season
The soil elements of plant food are
taken up In dilute ISOLATION of water
by the roots. The water rises through
the stems to the leaves, where 1t is
elaborated into food for the plant.
For every pound of dry matter in
plants, from three hundred to over
five hundred pounds of water must be
lifted from the soil and exhaled
through the leaves. With this in
mind we begin to realize the enor-
nous amount of water used by plants.
The amount required by different
plants varies considerably, but take
corn for example. 1t Is estimated
that the amount of water required by
single acre of corn of average pro
duction is fully $50 tons. The reason
of first Importance, therefore, of cult
walton is to check the evaporation OF
water from the soil in dry weather
and save 1t for the use of the growing
plants.
There is no fixed best number OF
times for the cultivation of corn. I'm
der very favorable conditions of sol
and moisture three civilizations have
made a maximum yield Under other
conditions five civilizations were moi
enough. Don't LAY by" the corn with
crust on the soil. Break 1t, and
break it again If necessary, even Il
the work must be done with a one
horse fine-toothed cultivator running
only two inches deep.
Land intended for wheat or Other
| fall-sown crops should be plowed at
soon as possible after harvest Their
the seed.bed should be prepared, ant
the earth mulch be maintained by the
harrow until seeding time. The com
paratively few fields that were pre-
pared for wheat last year on this plar
gave magnificent returns, in spite o.
the fall drought---the greatest for {
quarter century past in the winter
wheat belt.
Fields planted on late blowing aftel
the soil moisture had nearly all evap
Grated were either total or partial fail
ures. The experience in wheat during
the past season furnishes a striking
object lesson on proper soil culture.
In brief, the application of the prin
ciples of dry farming" Is just as i'm
portant in the humid as in the semi
arid regions.