The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1909-03-12


the spring IL dry and cold 1t Is better
to plant in the early listed fnrrows
for ia this way the ground Ia tins
bottom Of the furrow has an oppor
tuaity to warm up before the corn i
planted, which favors m IRE rapid
termination and thus more periec
stand of corn. We find for the past
season, 1901, that this method gave
over bushels more corn per acre
than when the ridges were split whei
the corn was planted.
BENEFIT OF EARLY PREPARE
TION.
There has been an feet and usually
bene fetal effect from an early prepa
ratien of the seed bed for corn and
the effect has been different with
/ different methods Of treatment
Naturally the question arises as to
what there is about the early stirring
of the soil that causes this varia I'll II
n the growth of the corn. The first
reason that arises In our minds IA that
early cultivation conserves the soil
moisture in the soil for the later use
of the plant gives the increased yleid
Bat is this the only reason?
SOIL MOISTURE THE SEASON
OF 1907
Soil moisture samples were taken
at frequent intervals throughout the
,eason Q907l upon the various plot,
q this experiment but the re sut5 Vi
he sampling OF March 81 when the
preparation was started, of May 10
when the corn was planted, aue
August 30 when the corn mature.
IS all that requires presenting at this
time. Tho other determinations OF
moisture simply corroooraJe the 1T
suits. A comparison OF the inche
of water in the feet Of soil In the
different plots at the time of strtlup
he experiment, March II, aud Of MAY
10 the day the corn was planted,
shows little gain or loss Of moisture.
the only plots showing any apprec
able saving of moisture being the twr
early listed plots.
WHAT CAUSED THEINCREASED
YIELD?
What has produced the increased
yield on the early cultivated plots?
'rhara a IN ot har conditions ~ tha mi,
which influence the growth of plants.
besides the supply OF available plant
food. Most Of the plant food in the
soil IL la an unavailable form, that is,
1t Is In such condition that The
plant cannot make use of it but VIII ch
may be made available or useful wheu
Icted upon by the air or other natura.
agencies. The early stirring Of the
soil in the spring favors circulation o.
air through the sell and thus the
change of the unavailable into |
the available plant food. In reality |
IL increases the amount of plant food |
Ia the soil AS far as the crop growing |
upon the soil for that particular sea-
on is concerned and thus PRODUCES an |
Increased yield.
The spring of 1907 differed from |
most springs in this state In that |
there were no packing rains, The |
freezing and thaWing OF winter left |
the surface of soil mellow so that in !
reality nature had formed an earth |
mulch which prevented the loss of |
moisture even where the ground was |
uncultivated and besides the spring |
being cool did not favor rapid evapUl-
alton, These condit ems largely ac-
count for the fact that this season |
1901 the early cultivation Of the soil |
did not save moisture. In most years
the early cultivation Of he soil not
emily ,iberates pla food but saves
moisture as well,
TIE SEASON OF 1904 IN POINT.
In 1904 moisture samples were taken
March ii when the preparation or ihe
seed bed was started aud Nay when
the corn was planted.
in every case there was 4 saving OIL
moisture by cultivation, the listed
Mot showing a saving or Alb inches
of water over the dncHltivated plot.
The ground plowed deep showed
greater saving of water than where
plowed shallow aud the narrowing OF
the double disked plot showed a saw
Ing of , Al inches of water over the
unharrowed, disked plot. The gains
in moisture in these plots occurred
largely 10 the first and second feet Of
soil. showing that they were due
chiefly to a storing up and retaining
Of the rain which. foil during this