The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-02-25
SOIL AS A SPONGE
Proper Conservation Of Moisture
lnsures Increase Of Wheat Crop
To Secure Proper Degree Soil Must
Be Kept In Constant Absorbent
Condition and Supply OF Hu.
mus Maintained.

| A proper conservation OF moisture
In the semi-arid wheat belts through
an intelligent treatment OF the Soil
would increase the wheat production
| OF the Pacific northwest several mil.
lion bushels annually, according to
Prof. George Severance, Of the Wash.
ington state college.
To secure the proper degree Of mois.
ture conservation, the soil must be
kept in an absorbant condition. The
supply of humus must be maintained.
for 1t keeps the soil in more sponge
like condition. Where wheat Is grown
and continually alternated with sum.
mer fallow. the greater part OF the
straw being either removed or burned,
the humus supply of the soil is gradu-
ally reduced. The small root system
of the wheat, and the scanty stubble
will not return enough humus to re-
place the amount that decays during
the growth Of one crop.
las much straw and stubble should
be worked into the soil as possible"
says Prof. Severance. The straw
should not be burned. and the manure
should not be wasted. Scatter the
straw and manure thinly over the
poorer parts of the fields and then
chop them into the soil with disc
harrow.
"The evil results commonly at
tributed to blowing under long straws.
or stubble. arise from the fact that
the straws are plowed under I'M
broken, and form layer between the
seeded and the moist soil beneath.
This to considerable extent inter.
feres with the capillary connection
with the moist soil beneath. Much Of
the straw will be left sticking out be-
tween the burrows, offering very eff
fective ventilation which dries out the
soil underneath. "At the beginning
OF the rainy season loosen the surface
OF the soil, disking the soil as soon
as possible after the crop is removed.
Three or four inches of loose surface
will permit rainfall of one inch in
"a hours to sink mostly below the
evaporating surface, to be drawn down
later by gravity and capillary attrac-
ton. the principle being the same as
that which causes oil to rise through
a wick when the wick is lighted The
moisture will rise much faster in moist
soil than in dry soil, and it will rise
faster when the particles are packed
firmly together than when they are
loose; and 1t will rise faster when the
PARTICLES are fine instead of course.
"Stubble fields which are to be sum-
mer fallowed should be mulched as
soon as the soil is At to work in the
spring. II the surface is firm, use
disc. The mulch need not be deep,
but should form continuous blanket
over the surface. II the surface
breaks up in slices. or Jumps, as 1t
does, the disc should be
followed with a spiketooth harrow to
pulverize the Jumps and form a more
perfect mulch. While it Is vital that
llisking begin as soon as the soil is
1t to work. 1t is mistake, particularly
with heavy soils. to begin when the
soil is so moist as to slice up in
cheese-like chunks.
"As fast as the blowing is done the
burrows should be worked down. The
best practice is to follow the pillow as
closely as possible with sub.surface
packer.
Successful dry land tillage does not
call for an increased amount of labor
10 much as for labor to be properly
applied. II two or three extra work
|ngs OF the soil should be called for,
The farmer can determine whether an
production, say ten to Is
bushels per acre. will pay for the ex-
Ira work.