Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-09-04
SOIL CONDITIONS CHANGE.

SOIL CONDITIONS CHANGE.
The average rainfall of this Sec
ton does not change perceptibly.
The rainfall is heavier in some years
than in others, but the average is
just about maintained. But, al
though the total amount Of mois-
ture does not perceptibly increase,
the disposition of it changes. In
former years when much Of the land
was unbroken, and the surface of the
sod hard and impervious to mois-
ture, heavy rainfalls ran rapidly over
the surface of the ground, went into
the streams which became torrents
for a while, and was carried off. It
did not soak into the soil, and form
reserve supply for crop growing.
Now that the soil of the state is be-
ing broken and cultivated, we do not
have the freshets and boiling streams
of other days. The rain sinks into
the soft and broken soil, percolates
down to the roots of the grain, Is
conserved, and sent off again by
evaporation and precipitation. In
stead of getting more rainfall, our
soil makes better use of what we get.
Speaking of this same subject the
jamestown Alert sets forth these
changes lnterestly:
The large rainfall in August of near
ly three and a half inches at this
point, is something unusual in North
Dakota and 1909 will raise the rain
fall record considerable. Since May
l last the increased precipitation
over many former years is great,
and there have been about twenty
inches of rain during that time, more
than the state average for the year.
The soil, throughout the state is
now getting a surplus of moisture
over evaporation each fall and this
condition continuing and increasing
from year to year is bound to work
great changes and to effect husband
~
surface of the ground acts as kind
of buffer, preventing the extremes of
heat and possibly modifying the sew
Gritty of cold waves.
Formerly the soil was dry through
out the state. and its uniform surface
color was light. Now the greater part
of the area is becoming cultivated
and the color of the surface is black,
which absorbs more heat rays, warm
ing the soil to depth never before
reached.
The destruction of grass roots by
prairie fires, OF wide extent that an
nually and for centuries have hard
ened the surface of the country, has
passed. The soil is becoming looser
and softer where not plowed, and of
course very porous where cultivated
Lakes, ponds and rivers are disap
pearing, but the annual rainfall is
not decreasing. Instead it is believ-
ed that the average will be raised in
the next ten year period Of observa-
tons.
A remarkable increased growth Of
grass. on the unbroken prairie, has
of the soil and making it more re-
ceptive for the storage of moisture.
During the past summer many per-
sons have remarked upon the hot,
moist nights. Formerly it was an
invariable rule that the surface of
the ground cooled rapidly after sun
down, evaporation being very great.
There was no surplus heat and mois-
ture in the soil to prevent the quick
changes and moderate the extremes
These new conditions are bound to
create differences in the growth of
plant life. and in crops. The lack of
certain elements in the soil required
for grain raising is seen in many To-
calities where long cropping of the
land has occurred. The soil does not
seem to have the vitality to mature
it's plants as It had once. For exam
pie the great productive yield Of
wheat indicated by the growth of
straw this wear will mostly be found |
wanting, but with the lessened aver
age of wheat yield. will come other
advantages in the growth and sue
cessful maturing of other crops Of
steady, world wide market value |
The old ideas of Mort, Dakota may
have to be revised completely, not
only by the old residents of the state |
themselves, but by others who ave
gained their Impressions and know
ledge from experiences prior to this !!
time
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