Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-07-28
SOME SPECIAL DRY WEATHER
INSTRUCTIONS.
BY W. C. Lassetter, Department o.
Agriculture. Fayetteville, Ark.

Agriculture FayetteNNie, ATTN.
During the dry hot weather that
now prevails it is imperative thai
special attention be paid to the cul-
tivaton OF all crops. If cultivation
is neglected now, the amount OF
moisture in the soil may be decreas-
ed to such an extent that the crop
will be almost an entire failure.
During a season of low rainfall,
plants are dependent Tor their water
supply upon that water which has
accumulated from the winter and
spring rains and is stored up in the
soil itself. So long as the surface
OF the soil is not broken, the water
rises from the subsoil, through the
small spaces between the soil parti-
cles, and at the surface 1t is evapo-
rated by the heat from the suns rays.
There is a constant force, called capil-
larity, which is constantly pulling the
water up from below, through these
small spaces When these spaces
between the soil particles are made
larger the force of capillarity is de-
creased and when they are made still
larger this force disappears entirely
and the moisture Is unable to rise.
This is the object of cultivation.
When field is well cultivated to a
depth of three inches the spaces be-
tween the particles of soil in that three
inches are made so large that the at
traction disappears and the moisture
cannot rise through them. Then that
water already stored up is not lost
through evaporation from the surface
Of the soil, but is held at the roots
of the plants for their use as they
need it. This supply at the roots is
continually renewed from below be-
cause the soil at that depth is un-
broken.
BY cultivation the surface three
inches are completely dried out. This
serves to make it all the more Inn
possible for the moisture from below
TO rise through it. Cultivation to a
greater depth than three inches does
not Increase the saving of moisture,
but in addition to injuring and de-
stroying the root system OF the plants,
1t diminishes the feeding ground OF
the roots, and is much more expen-
sive than the more shallow cultiva.
ton The objects Of cultivation are
to kill weeds and to conserve moist
ure. Three inches is entirely suffi-
Gent for both purposes.
Not only should cultivation be done
as soon after all rains as the ground
win permit, but during the dry
weather it is most important that 1t
be done every week or ten days at
the most During dry weather the
soil loosened up by cultivation will
gradually settle back together until
the spaces are small enough to at
tract some water through, and the
longer it is allowed to remain I'M
stirred the closer will the particles
settle together and the more rapid
VIII the loss of moisture become.
Frequent stirring is necessary to keep
these particles sufficiently far apart.
Thus it is evident that it is most
important that cultivation be prac-
ueed often during dry weather. when
that moisture we have in the sell is
most needed for the crops. Therefore
during this period cultivate to a
depth OF three or four inches. every
week and, at most do not let the in
teryals between CIVILIZATIONS be longer
tnan ten days. BY close practice
OF this most of the i'll effects of an
ordinary drought can be avoided