Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-09-27

Boomer Ground 10 P!owsd, or pIsked,
Quicker Conserving Of Water
''"', viii Begin.

by W. c. PALMER. Agricultural Editor.
North Dakota Agricultural College)
! In large portions OF the northwest
moisture is the factor that determines
The crop producing power Of the soil
Ind anything that can be done to con-
Erol tho moisture content Of a soil Is
bf great Importance A rain fall OF
Two or three inches would have made
difference of perhaps 100000
bushels Of wheat this year in North
Dakota. While we could not increase
The rainfall, yet it would not have
been a very difficult matter to have
Daved two or three inches Of moisture
IN the soil. The time to have begun,
however, was last summer. As soon
Is 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
} 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-
vent 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 on 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 dust mulch
which would prevent evaporation OF
moisture, and the grain crops should
also have been narrowed until up four
pr f1ve inches. In fact some are try
ing narrowing until the grain heads
but and with good results, and this Is
worth while trying on small scale.
In order to save up moisture Tor
pext years crop the sooner the ground
ID plowed, or In case not plowed, then
lisksd. the quicker the moisture saw
Ing will begin. Should the ground be
Ret when plowed it will be we'll to fol-
low with the harrow and when leaving
4 for winter It will be well to disk 1t,
ks this leaves It rougher 80 It will hold
khe snow better and will also work up
better In the spring, and again II the
land IL inclined to drift, It will In
measure reduce this.
A very interesting experiment was
parried out by the Washington Asri'
cultural college. A series Of tubes
two inches IN diameter and filled with
Toll were attached to 4 series Of bot
ties two inches in diameter md filled
with water In such 4 Wy that the
water would pass into fhe boll. One
tube VA left with q oompaoted sur
lace, another one-half inch mulch, an.
pther IN inch mulch and 20 on up to
bour-inoh mulch. It was found that
The TUBE With tho compactsd soil had
lvaporated -four inches moro Of mois'
lure than he one with the two and
he.half indA mulch, and that the two
Ind one-hak inch mulch was a. effec.
I've as the four.inch one. The half.
Inch mulch had saved about three
Rourths 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 40 a
moisture saver.
In this same connection it is we'll to
keep in mind that organic matter in
creases 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.
1t will pay better to work a smaller
acreage and work it thoroughly and
thus be practically sure of crop than
to spread the work over a larger area
and thus take chances on getting
crop