Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1910-12-23
TO KEEP MOISTURE
Soil Should Be Narrowed Down
Smooth When Plowed.
Stirring Ground Breaks Up Capillary
Circulation and Keeps Water
From Surface, Retardlne
Evaporation.

Last year we had an early drouth
Many farmers were obliged to post.
pone planting until too late for best
results The corn ground lay In ridges
Just as the pillow had left t. with not
a particle OF moisture above the fur.
row bottoms. Following my usual prac.
tise. narrowed as fast as plowed,
and AT least every week thereafter,
writes G. A. Umoselle. in Country
Gentleman When got ready to plane,
there was moisture in plenty. II was
not until about June that rain came
and made II possible for others to get
their ground in order. II was late,
but that was not all; the spring mois.
ture had been leaving the rough-fur.
rowed 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 a
rule, largely In excess Of evaporation.
while IN summer II Is the other way.
ne NhIul WlnuS anu Nlt uthN W Nh'
sun evaporate water from the surface
Of the earth rapidly. Besides evapora'
ton. vast quantities are eXhaled In
the growing season, by vegetation and
trees. To replace this water lost ut
the surface, more is continually 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.
rain may come TO replenish the sup
ply. on a drought may come and the
top layers of the soil be without mois.
ture and the crops suffer But some
thing can be done TO hold in reserve
this spring supply OF water We can
keep II for our crops. largely. II we
will go TO the trouble In the San
Joaquin valley, Cal, where II does not
rain In summer, they consider that
they are all right for grain crop,
provided there is enough rain In win
ter thoroughly to wet the ground.
The soil should be narrowed down
smooth as fast as II is plowed. Evap-
grafton is more rapid In proportion
as the surface Is more uneven II
rain comes and puddles the surface
be sure to harrow Just as soon as
| dry enough. A crust should not be al
lowed 10 form Stirring the soil breaks
up the capillary circulation and keeps
the water from the immediate surface,
hence retarding evaporation. If cul.
tivated crop is planted on the ground,
the stirring of the soil can go on for
the greater part Of the season. Do not
wait for n 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 cultlva.
tors in corn field during long
drought They didn't see any good in
It. But he had a fair crop Of corn.
while his neighbors had none. BY
working a dust mulch on the surface.
the spring stores Of water were made
to feed the crop, whereas in other
cases It had escaped by evaporation
before the corn had needed IT, To
get the best results, the ground should
be left as nearly level as possible
consequently weeder or narrow.
toothed cu,tivator is best.
Some VIII say that II rain comes
in time this extra tillage will be work
thrown away, but II is not The stir.
ring of the soil, no matter how long
before planting 1t may be, how fine the
surface is, or how clean the crop, is
never wasted labor. Tillage has been
called a substitute for manure. II is
undoubtedly true that most soils con
tain enough plant-food for hundreds Of
good crops. but It is not In available
! form