Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1909-10-29
IIlLAGE IN IFS RELATION TO SOIL MOISTURE
By c. c. THoM, Soil Physicist

The methods best conserve the mois
lure OF the soil being rapidly worked farming
specialists and by are however many
underlying principles governing the plants
which little writer Physicist of
this Experiment Station thorough study
OF these In particular attempting discover what deter
mines to absorb and retain the moisture which
it receives snow the lowest limit of
the moisture can make growth
the oaed Of certain n1ans
and can this be changed improved
crops make the best soil MOISTURE
problems Will
study.
The present has largely naugu
rating these investigations While 1t will
work problems
which are being studied years
tests are and important
the following brief
Relation of Tillagc to Moisture
Perhaps the important production the
proper supply of moisture this
Tue water excessive the soil cod termination late and growth
SLOW air reach the grows
and dies IT, on the other hand the supply moisture
cen no amount of air. warmth will
Hence all tage operations should be
supply moisture.
be well this inquire whence crops
draw their supply of moisture mainly
rains that fall during
from the store of water in the soil beneath accumulated
the spring showers of autumn?
This is the vital point
ton During prevail the
greater portion the crops
the store below because the evaporation
praon great of rainfall while
the plants growing.
high and chiefly important
subsequent
Breaking Up stubbe After Harvest An Important Factor Tn
Catching The Winter
All land which is be-
ing to being
early turned over with the n,ow mr. receive tborovob ds ~
left rough through
been made solid trampng during the
harvest and subsequent rosurino Tho soil a t - ~
dition the
if the land be considerable
plowed or
well disced field both hnds the flow of the
openings by which
in this loose, cultivated
absorb and hold water the surface
May oeence OF 20 per cent OF water IN the top three feet of
soil between land powed adjoining
powed The blowing per
or considerably more than one inch of rain Autumn cultivation
beneficial
of The roughened surface
dried frozen and hawed with the result that stiff lands pudding
obteraed
the
plant steep
hlsdes cultivation followed heavy predp
washing
care and judgment should be used IN pracng fall cultivation on
lands of such nature.
Spring Cultivation
prevail of
where retain much of the winters precpt
possible where
with spring or early summer it desirable to disc otherwise stir
soil that is intended for mealow
will bear cultivation This early working
to obtain mulch which the
the lower layers of subo during the
stiff layer
opportunity of drying into condition which will yield
filth land,
the causing
rapid caparity
sequen of
lifted by apr cannot be large result
ious losses to the store
that supplied by inch of rainfall four
Subsurface Packing
packing consists in fmng the furrow slice after
blowing turned under surface firmly against the soil
process that been
blowing firms the soil to such degree that apiary is
again subsol the Slice thus
seed bed within few inches of the
packing that subbe other
vegetable by the pillow will
moist earth than when
they likely dry de-
partially all The best results from subsurface
packing Immediately
blowing consider
able of of moisture by evaporation.
following land of leaving entirely bare for
worked possible,
economical standpoint this
districts where the rainfall in
paying Land which
does not carry will accumulate store of