The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-01-14
CALIFORNIA WIZARD
IS SUBJECT
PRESIDENT HAMILTON TALKS
ABOUT BURsANk-ATkiN
LECTURES.

Hamilton. Jan. i3.-The lecture at
the Lucas opera house last evening by
President James Hamilton of the Mon
tana Agricultural college on Luther
Burbank was well attended. and
proved interesting and instructive.
President Hamilton spoke on the work
of the California wizard from ex-
perience. having visited the home of
Mr. Burbank. The lecture was pro-
fuseiy illustrated with slides showing
the wizards many different plants and
flowers in the process of development
The fruit school was opened this
morning by Professor A. Atkinson
who spoke on The Origin. Formation
and Classification of Soils" Profess
sor Atkinson is the direct head of the
dry farming work of the state. being
chairman Of the board of directors OF
the dry farming congress. The fol-
lowing points were made by Professor
Atkinson.
Atkinson Talks.
or the three kinds Of natural re-
sources. atmosphere. sunshine and the
earth, but one, the earth. is in any
way under mans control All living
tHin6s oMe IutIT
directly or indirectly. to the earth, or
that portion of the loose dislntegrated
covering which we call the soil
Eight elements in their various
forms of combination form the large
part of the soil. These combined, first
TO form gases. later liquids. and final
~ solids or minerals. the aggrega-
tion of which forms the rocks of the
earth's surface.
Five agencies were chiefly instru-
mental in breaking down the rocks to
form soil. These are: The atmos-
phcrc, heat and cold. water. ice.
plants and animals. These working
separately and in combination caused
the rocks to decay and crumblc thus
forming a suitable growing place for
plants
Because of the mixed conditions in
which we find soil materials. they
cannot be classified according to the
rocks from which they came. The /
classification adopted is based on the |
agencies which had to do with trans |
porting soil particles and placing
them as they exist today. Soils are /
either sedentary. not having been |
moved from the place of original for /
nation. or have been transported by
various agencies.
Soil Cultivation.
Following the above lecture. Prof.
essor Atkinson spoke on Soil Cultiva-
ton. He stated that the general
object OF all soil cultivation is to make
favorable conditions. for the growth or
desirable plants. In cultivating the
soil we recognize that In relation to
the soil. proper condition of moisture.
heat and air must he present. He
summarized his address in the follow
ing outline:
We cultivate the soil for the fol-
lowing purposes: /
To open up the soil: Plant roots
must be able to push their way
through the soil and get food from a
large area for the best development.
To conserve moisture: This is pos
sibly the most important effect of
cultivation in Montana. Soil moisture.
OF use in plant growth. exists around
the soil particles and moves from the
wet TO the dry place. To prevent I'M
necessary. evaporation and loss we
must cultivate as early as possible in
the spring, cultivate as soon as pos
sible after rain, cultivate Immediately
behind the pillow in spring blowing.
cultivate as soon as the soil is dry
enough after irrigation.
To raise the soil Temperature. Tn,
warmer the soil at planting time in
the spring. the more rapid the germ
nation and growth. by stopping
marathon
raises the soil temperature Plant
roots and soil organisms require air
for best development and activity (,
Weeds are soil robbers: cultivate
them out when they are small to pre-
vent their seeding