The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-10-25
SAVE MOISTURE--INCREASE THE CROP
THERE IS NOTHING DIFFICULT ABOUT THIS AND IN DRY
SEASON IT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CROP
M Nc CROP
By w. g. Palmer

Enough is now known Of the Drin-
clpleS Of soil moisture observation
tnat each one can be in possession of
Inc secret. hen again. there is moth
ing dlff1cult or mysterious about it.
1t is a common knowledge, that any
thing wet dries on being exposed to
ar. The housewife makes use of this
principle by hanging out the clothes to
dry.
1t is we'll known tina oil moves I'D
through a wick. and hat il the wick
is cut the Oil cannot pass over the gap.
Water will act through the soil the
same wa that oil does through a
wick.
Keep in mind that a wet soil eS-
posed to the air will give up its mois-
ture to the air; that water moves
from the wetter portions to the drier
soll, If the soil is comDacted, which
condition compares to the lamp wick:
q loose soil compares to the lamp
wick that is cut and so the moisture
ture cannot move through it.
The plant needs the moisture in the
furroW slice, as that IS where it does
most of it's feeding. Notice the plant
growing in the lead furrow. It has
its roots growing in the subsoil. The
moisture conditions should be better
there than in the surface soil yet the
plant does not do 50 we'll, and due to
n lack Of available plant food. This
means hat a deep fuTroW slice will
offer more feeding room for the roots
than a shallow one. The furrOW slice
should Ice packed firm aYainst the pr,.
aolr Sc as to furnish the means for
moisture to pass from the sub soil to
the surface and e~vaporating, the sur
face soil should be kept loose. a con
dition known as the soil mulch.
Another rcason for deep blowing is
To fI,rricb ~ largo rnCnrNOir To ia En mn
the rainfall readily Shallow plowine
cannot take in rain as fast nor as
much OF it, as deep blowing. The
proof of the value Of deep blowing is
brought out by the fact that it pro-
duces larger yields.
The soil mulch can be produced by
the common harrow. Crops are har-
rowed after they are up, grain can be
narrowed till five or six inches high
and some trying to harrow till j
heads out, and with good results. TIL,
narrowing Of grain or corn shoult
only b. done on bright sunny days
and not before the sun has been III
three or four hours. The plant when
wet and in the morning and on cloud,
DAYS, is more crisp and breaks III
easier. The mulch should be made a
soon as the land is plowed- If it i
not considerable evaporation Will tax
place at once In blowing do no
leave the feId before mario" ms Villa
plowed hat half day.
A pillow attachment is now on tn
market that loosens up the surfac'
at the same time the blowing Is done
Another way is to hitch an extra hors
10 a section of harrow when blowing
this does it all at one operation, toe
In the case of spring blowing it ma,
be necessary to pack it SO as to get tn
bottom Of furrow slice compact. Ia
blowing should pc narrowed as 500
as possible in the spring, as molstur
viii escape fast from the surface tina
has been compacted during the winter
Humus adds greatly to moIstur
holding capacity of the soil, acting Xix
a sponge or plotting paper. The pillow
ing under of green crops OF weed
when green adds humus. Apptyin'
manure is one Of the best ways Q
adding it.