The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-11-25
MOISTURE FOR DRY FARMING
Amount Of Annual Precipitation Of
Rain is an important Factor In
Raising Good Crops.

(By Prof. Elias Norton. Idaho Agricult-
ural Experiment Station)
or all the factors that figure In the
promotion Of plant growth, water is
an important one and more than any
other concerns the dry farmer. Since
the amount is limited II should be
carefully husbanded to do full duty
in crop production. Within certain
limits yields increase with an increas-
ing supply of moisture, so the amount
OF the annual precipitation is an i'm
portant consideration. Yields, how
ever, are not directly proportional, for
the other factors vary and affeSt the
results. Soils differ in retentiveuess
and capacity for storing water. At
mospheric conditions such as temper
ature, humidity and wind velocity vary
the rate and amount of evaporation
from the soil. All these factors have
to do with the amount of moisture
that will be retained for the use OF
crops The precipitation does not
determine the yield It is the amount
of available moisture the soil Is capa.
BILE of holding that is the real deter.
mining factor. Investigations by the
Utah experiment station have indi.
Gated that an inch of rain stored In
the soil Is capable of producing two
and one-half bushels of wheat per
acre. The yields very largely depend
upon how much of the precipitation
can be caught and retained In the soil
certain amount of loss by evapora.
ton between showers and in summer
is unavoidable. DR.. j. A. Widtsoe has
stated that from one-half to three
fourths can be conserved If half is
retained then with 1895 inches, the
average normal precipitation in south
ern Idaho, we should produce 80 bush
els of wheat per acre every year. Re
suits secured by the best farmers In
Utah and Idaho indicate that nearly
half may do duty in crop production In
actual practice, but taking the aver
age yields in certain districts anC
comparing them with the average an
nual precipitation of those localitie,
for two years 1t appears that but one
fourth is actually utilized, or that onl,
fiveeighths of bushel of wheat Il
produced for every inch Of precipita
ton
To absorb half or more Of the moist
;. ure that falls requires tolerably dee
soil. On uncultivated land in arid re
gions there is generally no accumula
ton of moisture. All the moistur
: which enters the ground during tn
season of greatest rainfall is usual
lost from the soil by evaporation dul
:. ing the dry season or summer. Their
!. is considerable run off and the mois
y ure that is absorbed is held near tn
= surface where 1t Is disposed of b
y evaporation. These are the usual col
D ditions on average soils, there bein
some variations according as sol
g differ.
By means Of proper methods of GU
,s tivation we can secure greater dept
- of percolation and also prevent to
:, large extent the usual losses at tn
~ surface, We have observed that sol
. over which surface mulch had bee
)" maintained during summer were moi
three feet deep or more while adj
cent ground not touched contained I
!. moisture. BY suitable methods of CT
y tivation we can store In the soil ha
- or more of the precipitation, while
~ no particular pains are taken to co
~ serve 1t all or nearly all may be 10!