The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-07-28
WHEATONDRY FARM
Much Importance Is Attached to
Absorption and Seepage.
Trouble With Shallow Flowing is nat
II subsoi is Hard Roots VIII
Not Go Into lt--Deeper
the Better.

In recent issue of Dry Farming
Congress Bulletin, e r. Parsons gives
particulars about raising wheat from
dry farming methods in California
Perhaps some of his suggestions VIII
he of interest to farmers in parts oil
The west where rainfall is light. Fol
lowing are Mr.. Parsons hints
] attach most Importance In this, as
I'm all other branches of dry farming
to the depth of blowing. For spring
wheat we pillow in the fall eight to ten
inches deep; for winter wheat we plow
in the spring the same depth, when
the weeds are up about four inches
high. During the interval the ground
settles and packs itself, therefore we
use no packer. We harrow both
sprjrg or winter wheat as often as
possible to break the crust, but find
that even If we have to neglect cul-
tivation through stress of work, the
deep blowing brings the crop through,
In California. conditions are alto
gether different from what they are
cast of the mountains. Rains come in
the winter months. and at maturing
time in May and June the weather is
usually dry and the crop is made by
what moisture remains in the ground
and the sap that is carried in the
stalk. This is the critical period in
California and / have seen many a
crop fail at the last minute, when one
more cultivation just before heading
would have saved it. The average
farmer is afraid to harrow his wheat
for fear of damaging 1t, but the fact
Is, the more II is narrowed and tramp
ed the better 1t seems to grow. In
order to break the crust at the last
moment when the rains have ceased
and the wheat is almost heading out,
I would use the spring tooth weeder,
which is built on the principle of a
steel hayrake. This implement Is be-
ing used with great success on small
grain when nearly three feet high,
A correspondent In making inquiry,
ing wheat in his neighborhood is to
pillow three inches, plant the wheat
and let nature do the rest This Is a
favorite method of gambling with ma
ture in all the dry farm states. Prepa-
ratlons for the coming crop should
commence as soon as the old one is
off. The ground should be thoroughly
disked and narrowed, forming a
mulch three inches deep as nearly as
possible. II the crust is hard, a sharp,
heavily weighted disk should be used :
this will save the residuary moisture
in the subsoil for the next crop and
put the land in shape to accumulate
more moisture as soon as the rains be-
gin again, five months later. The fact
that the surface is dry and hard does
not demonstrate that there is no mois-
ture down below, and even three per
cent. of free moisture may make all
the difference betwee profit and
loss. Our soils should be repeatedly
tested for moisture, for this is the
only way to find out how we stand and
to what extent different operations af.
feet our reserve. In the hill farming
districts of California and in every
other state, the cultivation should al.
ways be across the slope and not up
and down with the slope.
AS soon as the rains have meme.
trated sufficiently to put the land in
proper condition, would pillow. but
not before: the depth should be nj
least eight inches, and the disk or har,
row should follow Immediately behind
the pillow. Loose, sandy loan, if plank.
ed Immediately after blowing, can be
rolled or stabbed or packed, but NO
packing should be done on clay loan
The press drill will do all the packing
necessary for seed termination. and
agree with Professor Tinsley, who
says: Use the split wheel press drill
If possible, for then, II the seed row
happens to crust over, there is a mar
row unpacke1 space in the center for
the shoots to come through.
The trouble with three-inch plowirp
is this; If the subsoil under the fur
row Is at all hard and does not contain
the requisite percentage of moisture
the roots will not go into 1t and all
the crop has to exist upon is This
wretched three inches of loose dirt
which is hardly sufficient for n sur
race mulch. No sane man could er
pect crop under such conditions
Farmers are misled by the fact that
once in a while even with shallow
blowing The subsoil in a wet wear he
comes laoist enough to allow the roots
to go down and fair crop is the re
suit, and then every one SAYS What
is the use of deep plowing?" Eight n
ten-inch blowing provides enough dir,
to raise a thirty-bushel crop. whetber
the roots go into the subsoil or moi.
but II they do, fifty or even a sixtv
bushel crop may result, and door
blowing is the most important racto,
in accommodating this moisture in the
subsoil. Wv