The Dickinson press., 1910-11-05
SAVING THE SOIL MOISTURE
Sooner Ground 10 Plowed, or Disked,
Quicker Conserving Of Water
viii Begin.

10Y w. VI nISp A0EbOuASuAo ~
North Dakota Agricultural Collegs.)
In large portions Of the northwest
moisture Is the factor that determines
the crop producing power Of the soil
and anything that can be done to con-
troll the moisture content Of . soil 10
Of great Importance. A rain fall Of
two or three inches would have made
b difference Of perhaps 2~6.000.0O0
bushels Of wheat this year in North
Dakota. While we could not increase
the rainfall, yet 1t would not have
been a very dificult matter to have
saved two or three inches Of moisture
In the soil. The time to have begun.
however, was last summer. AS soon
as the crop was removed the ground
should have been plowed In order to
kill the weeds which come on when
the crop is removed and thus take out
considerable moisture and to produce
D mulch. In case the land could not
be plowed, then disking would be help.
kul as it would kill the weeds and also
loosen up the surface, and thus pre-
gent evaporation. The ground would
have plowed nicely right after harvest
before the weeds had pumped out the
moisture. When fall came the ground
likely plowed up lumpy IN account of
this removal of moisture and was thus
left in a poor condition to take up the
moisture that fell as rain and snow.
Then in the spring 1t should have been
narrowed early to form q dust mulch
which would prevent evaporation of
moisture, and the grain crops should
hlso have been narrowed until up four
pr i've inches. In fact some are try.
Ing narrowing until the grain heads
but and with good results, and this 10
worth while trying on a small scale.
In order to save up moisture TOR
next years crop the sooner the ground
IL plowed. or In case not plowed. then
hlsked, the quicker tho moisture say.
Ing will begin. Should the ground be
vet when plowed 1t will be we'll to fol.
low with the harrow and when leaving
It for winter 1t will be we'll to disk 1t.
Rs this leaves 1t rougher so It will hold
the snow better and will also work up
better in the spring, and again II the
land is inclined to drift, 1t will in q
measure reduce this.
A very interesting experiment wal
carried out by the Washington Agri.
cultural college. A series Of tubes
two inches in diameter and filled with
toil were attached to q series of bot
ties two inches In diameter and filled
with water in such a way that the
water would pass into the soil. One
tube was left with a compacted SUI.
face, another one-half inch mulch, an.
other an inch mulch and so on up to
four-inch mulch. It was found that
the tube with the compacted soil had
evaporated four inches more of mois.
ture than the one with the two and
One-half inch mulch, and that the two
and one-half inch mulch was as etfec.
tive as the four-inch one. The half
inch mulch had saved about three.
fourths of an inch of water. This ex.
pertinent was carried on for ten weeks
and was a wonderful demonstration Of
the effectiveness of a soil mulch as a
moisture saver.
keep in mind that organic matter in.
the water holding capacity Of
the soil, so that every effort should be
made to get manure on to the land,
and also to plow under green matter.
It will pay better to work a smaller
acreage and work 1t thoroughly and
thus be practically sure of a crop than
to spread the work over a larger area
and thus take chances on getting q
crop,