Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-08-08
Value of Moisture.
ONE OF THE SUBJECTS DEMANDING
FARMERS THOUGHTFUL STUDY.

The most ignorant farmer knows that
certain amount of moisture Is abso-
lutely necessary for the growing OF
crops, but what that amount Is none OF
US have more than vague ideas. We all
know that too much moisture will pre-
vent the growth and maturity CT most
kinds of vegetation, and that too little
will have as serious effects. To over.
como the effects of too much moisture,
the farmer practices drainage II he has
studied the subject, but it is only In
very recent years that the agriculturist
has attempted in scientific way to
overcome the effects of a lack OF moist
ure in the soil in any other way than
the Artificial method of supplying that
lack by irrigation.
Now, however, the scientific agri-
culturist-and every agriculturist must
now be a scientists putting to prac-
tical use the knowledge that the soil
absorbs moisture very readily and re-
tains it very tenaciously; that 1t can be
brought up to the roots of the plants by
the proper methods of cultivation and
that it can be kept from evaporation by
the proper treatment of the surface of
the soil.
Observation first made it known to
the farmer that continued shallow cul-
tivation in the time of drouth would
keep crop green and growing when
other fields without it would dry up and
refuse to produce any thing. This re-
suited in the experiments and investiga-
ton which demonstrated the practical
moisture conserving possibilities of the
dirt mulch, for that is just what shall
low cultivation makes. This mulch,
acting as any other kind Of mulch
would, will keep the moisture in the
soil from escaping and divert 1t to the
roots Of the growing crops.
The practical value and the actual re-
suits of this kind of cultivation have
often been seen in fields of growing
crops located on adjoining farms. In
the one field the thorough going farmer
has given continued and thorough cul-
throughout the dry summer.
He has not put away his cultivators and
hoes simply because the weeds have
been cut down and the dry weather
does not encourage them to grow again.
He recognizes the fact that conditions
which are discouraging to the growth
of weeds must be still more discourag
ing to the growth OF the vegetable or
grain crop from which he desires results,
and be continues to encourage the soil
to do its best, for he knows there Is
large amount OF common sense behind
the old joke about tickling the ground
with q hoe. The result Is that his
ground continues to smile with the
green promise OF harvest when his
neighbours ground shows only the parch-
ed and somber features of a pessimist.
This particular theory of farming is
no longer simply theory. Every pro-
gressive farmer who has made any
study of the question knows that treat
ment of the sort will give results, and it
is the secret-an open secret-of the
large crops which we few years ago
would have called phenomenal. After
all, they are still phenomenal, perhaps,
for 1t is only small minority even In
these days who are growing anything
like the amount Of crops which the land
is able to bear. and to bear easily.
The problem of the conservation OF
moisture Is not really problem; 1t is In
these days almost an exact science, the
practice of which will, should and does
bring with a great deal of certainty the
results aimed at, and the principles of
which may be known and applied. -
Maine Farmer.