American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-08-03
PERIOD OF MATURING
Critical Time for Crops in North
western States.
NOR Yield Commonly Arises From
TWO Causes-Lack Of Sufficient
Moisture and injury Done by
Warm Winds.

Inc crltlcai period for crops In the
northwestern states is not usually
when III crop is sown. nor during the
early stages of growth, but later; that
Is. toward the period of maturing. It
Is easily possible to carry a crop on
That Is big with promise until 1t comes
near the ripening period, n when
that stage approaches, the realization
or what was promised earlier Is not
attained. In some instances, 1t is
SO far short as to amount in a sense
to failure.
The result referred to more COM
monty arises from two causes, says
the Dakota Farmer. One |. the lack
OF sufficient moisture to carry the
crop to maturity. and the other Is the
injury that may come from warm
winds that blow for successive days
and interfere with the filling of the
grain. 1t might seem at first thought
that the farmers are at the mercy of
the elements, and can do nothing to
prevent the injury referred to from
either OF the causes named. But such
Is not the fact. 1t is true of course
that the farmer ann make it rain.
and it is also true he cannot command
the winds. Nevertheless h can do
much to ward OF the injury that
would otherwise result from either
should 1t threaten.
The soil may be prepared for the
crop in a way that will hold the mois-
ture that falls for a period sufficiently
long to bring some relief to the crops,
should they be threatened with a
shortage, or with injury from undue
heat. The preparation called for may
be two-fold in character. 1t may m
sist of keeping In the moisture by sur
face cultivation, or 1t may mean the
stocking of the land with humus.
These may both be accomplished in
n season. but more commonly they
are resorted to In different seasons. |
The stirring of the surface soil in
wolves bringing the summer-fallow in
to the rotation or the growing of some
crop that calls for cultivation during
much of the period of growth. Which
of these methods Is to be chosen must |
be determined by the attendant con-
0ASAoAo IL ~ 0OAA = . nlCotCo W Q |
ennial weeds that are difficult of eradi-
cation. the summer-fallow is to be
chosen. The same is true of any soil
that wants cleaning, II the farmer Is
not prepared to utilize to advantage
the crops that may be thus grown.
Where he is SO prepared then the cul-
crop is to be preferred to the
bare fallow.
Humus may be put into the soil by
any kind of a grass or
crop into the rotation. When
sod of any of these is broken, a
supply of humus is put into the
soil in the form Of roots and stubble]
top growth. The increased power
given to the soil by this process is
considerable. 1t is specially
when hot winds come, for
in the soil that would not
be there, and its presence
may be able to carry the growing
a critical period where 1t
would otherwise fail.
The two processes may be carried
IN the same season, as for instance,
when the land is summer-fallowed and
or two crops are buried during
he summer-fallowing process. This
nay easily be lone by making one OF
hese winter rye and the other some
quick growing crop on top Of the
,uried rye.
The necessity for giving attention
O these methods increases with the
of the soil. When land is
lrst broken 1t is usually we'll supplied
With humus. Each grain crop taken
rom 1t lessons the supply. The result
s, finally. that the humus supply is
o low that the soil is not well able to !
esist the influences of drought.
the rainfall is short in a
formal season, and wherever hot
sinds are liable to prevail, close at
should be given to both those
of warding off crop failure.