Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-06-14
Conserving Soil Moisture.

Conserving Soil Moisture.
Last year we had an early drouth.
Many farmers were obliged to postpone
planting until too late for best results.
The corn ground lay in ridges just rs the
plow had left IL, with not particle oi
moisture above the furrow bottoms
Following my usual practice, narrowed
as fast as plowed, and at least every
week thereafter. When | got ready TO
plant, there Was moisture In plenty. IL
was not until about June that rain
came aud made II possible for others 10
get their ground i'm order. IL was late,
but that was not all; the spring moisture
had been leaving the rough furrowed
fields, and II Is pretty sure to be wanted
before the summer Is over.
The opening Of spring usually finds
the soil saturated with moisture-sev-
eral hundred tons to every acre. In
winter and spring the rainfall is, as rule,
largely In excess of evaporation, while in
summer IL is the other way. The warm
winds and the heat of the sun evapora.e
water from the surface of the earth
rapidly. Besides evaporation, vast guam
by vegetation and trees. To replace
this water lost at the surface, more is
drawn up from below. The
water level in the ground becomes lower
and capillary action, which brings the
water to the surface, gets more and more
feeble. A rain may come to repleuish
the supply, or drouth may come and
the top layers of the soil be without
moisture and the crops suffer. But
can be done to hold In reserve
this spring supply of water. We can
keep it for our crops, largely, il We will
go to the trouble. In the San Joaquin
Valley, Cal, where it does not rain in
summer, they consider that they are all
right for grain crop, provided there is
enough rain in winter thoroughly to
wet the ground.
The soil should be narrowed down
smooth as fast as it is plowed. Evapora
tion is more rapid in proportion as the
surface is more uneven. If rain comes
and puddles the surface, be sure to har-
row just as soon as dry enough. A crust
should not be allowed to form. Stirring
the soil breaks up the capillary circula-
tion and keeps the water from the i'm
mediate surface, hence retarding evapo-
ration. If a cultivated crop is planted
on the ground, the stirring of the soil
can 60 on for the greater part of the
season. Do not wait for a rain, but
keep the ground stirred.
The story is told of an Irish farmer
in this section OF South Jersey who wore
out the patience of his hired help by
keeping them behind the cultivators in a
corn field during long drouth. They
didn't see any good in it. But he had
fair crop of corn, while his neighbors
had none. By working dust mulch on
the surface, the spring stores of water
were made to feed the crop, whereas in
other cases it had escaped by evapora-
ton before the corn had needed it. To
get the best results, the ground should
be left as nearly level as possible; con-
weeder or narrow-toothed
cultivator is best.
Some will say that if rain comes in
time this extra tillage will be work
away, but 1t is not. The stirring
of the soil, no matter how long before
planting it may be, how fine the surface
is, or how clean the crop, is never vast
ed labor. Tillage has been called a sub
stitute for manure. 1t is undoubtedly
true that most soils contain enough plant
food for hundreds of good crops, but it
is not in available form. Every time the
soil is stirred, letting in the air and re-
arranging the particles, some chemical
action is started and little plant food is
set free. I have made experiments to
this effect, and it has proved to be true,
so ask every reader to try this plan and
see if it will not be benefit to him this
A. Umoselle, Atlantic
County, N. j., in Country Gentleman.