The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1911-05-05
EARLY SPRING WORK.
Prepare Now for Big Harvests-Don''

The first steps in any undertaking
are generally the most crltlcal ohes
as affecting later success. lhls ls
esnecially true of farming operations
having to do with crop producIloh'
To obtain maximum crops IN OreeoA'
il is extremely important that pIepa-
ration begin at once. Thls is espe'
cially true in Oregon, owing 10 the
scantiness of the rainfall during the
latter part of q the growing season.
This condition prevails in every sec
ton of Oregon. While the annual
rainfall in practically every part OF
Oregon is sufficient to produce ex-
cellent crops, yet since most OF 1t
comes during the winter, 1t is eX-
tremely important that it be carefully
husbanded In Eastern Oregon, or
course, where the rainfall averages
from six to twenty inches, the need
of moisture conserving methods or
tillage and cropping has long been
recognized as vitality important. In
Western Oregon, where the rainfall
ranges from thirty to sixty inches or
more annually, the value of moisture
conservation has not yet become fully
recognized. When it is remembered
that the rainfall in Western Oregon
during the months of July, August
and September seldom exceeds two
inches, less, in fact, than falls in
many semi-arid countries at this
time, it is not difficult to understand
that maximum crops can be produced
only where special methods OF mols
ture conservation are followed.
There is little question that as far
as plant food content is concerned
no more rich or productive soils ex'
is than are found throughout Oregon
1t is not plant food but soil mois-
ture which is the limiting factor in
crop production. Good rotation meth
ods will maintain and increase plant
food supply. Thorough tillage meth
ods to conserve moisture will un'
.. uuestionably make ample crops pos
sible.
The attention of the Oregon farmer
, should be called particularly to the
q, effect of early spring tillage upon
3 moisture conservation. When the soil
is filled with moisture from the sur
face down, following the winter pre-
, cipitation, the first warm, sunshiny
days of spring will cause higher
loss of moisture through evaporation
than is likely to occur even in the
hottest, windiest days of midsummer
, While moisture is most readily lost
: during the month of April, it may be
e more largely conserved at this time
: The winter PRECIPITATION has run the
D surface soil together, forming a com
pact crust on top of the ground, from
which the moisture is very rapidly
= lost. By breaking up this crust as
early as possible in the spring trans
forming it into a soil mulch three OF
) four inches in depth, moisture losses
can be stopped. In Eastern Oregon
it has proved most profitable prac
6 tice to harrow the fallsOWn ground
a two and even three times in order tc
g break this surface crust. Where the
o ground is in stubble, both in Eastern
:. and Western Oregon, it is of the
"a greatest Importance to get on the
land as early as possible with the
D. disc harrow; this early discing car
S be done long before spring plowins
3 can be started. This early cultiva
ton before plowing has the advantage
!. of changing the soil crust to mois
q ture conserving mulch and, in addi
~ ton, will make the spring ploWint
;. much easier and more effective. Tht
- stubble and other trash on the sur
i face of the ground is cut up ant
% worked into the soil and the clo'
X making crust is broken, so that whel
blowing is done both clods and stub
d BILE will no longer be in the way
9. When the furrow slice is turned
ID perfect union between the seed be-
and the ground underneath, wher
- the winter moisture is stored, i
made, so that this tored moisture ma,
ascend into the seed bed during tn
growing season. The early sprin
discing before plowing also has tn
advantage of terminating the wee'
B. seed, so the young weeds may late
s. be turned under by the plow.
d The next step in the spring work
y especially in Western Oregon, is ma
T. nuring the land in preparation TO
h such crops as corn, kale and mangels
p. The farmer should not forget tha
- every ton of manure applied to thes
- crops will give a return of five or 81
dollars at harvest time.
The third step is the spring plov
W ing itself This should be done, G
" course, when the ground is melloN
Ig and not so wet as to smear. Tn
j. spring plowing should not be a
le deep as the fall plowing, but in Ore
Id gon should not be less than five o
"a six inches. In Eastern Oregon, c
- course, in the dry-farming wheat bel
= = it is important to follow the sprin
~ plowing with the sub-surface packe
in order to make a more perfect COZ
nection between the plowed groun
i and the ground underneath it. TIL
s' plow, of course, should be followe
Is by the harrow in order to prever
st moisture loss, which is rapid froI
N newly plowed land until the harro'
he mulches and protects it.
o. The fourth step, especially wher
late-sown crops are to be grown,
a the frequent narrowing of the plowe
y. land, especially after a spring raj
c" has formed a surface crust. Thi
n narrowing, of course, will conserv
81 moisture, thoroughly pulverize tn
as soil, and get rid of weeds. The mos
effective time for weed-killing is du
an ing this period. This frequent ha
Id rowing, following the spring plowini
IN will have marked effect in prepa
he ing the land for alfalfa, corn and fiel
~ beans. These crops, of course, al
not seeded until about May 1, sine
they require warmer weather and ca