Weekly journal-miner., 1911-11-08

CT irrigates from below upwards
 The dry land farmer who fails to store water in the subsoils is in the 1 same predicament as the irrigating farmer who fails to fill his reservoir. If the supply is inadequate in either ease during one season, they must wait until a sufficient amount is pro- vided. The irrigator waits until his reservoir is replenished, the other summer fallows. Water obeys the law of gravitatiOn, when it strikes the surface it follows the course of least resistance. If the surface is porous, the water soaks in rapidly, but if it is hard and impervious, it runs away or is lost by evaporation. If the porous condition is or 9 inches deep, it will take care of two or three inches of rainfall, but if it : is shallow, as soon as the porous stratum is filled the surplus is lost. Hence, the necessity of at all times maintaining a depth. and porous con- dition of the soil that is conducive to rapid absorption. More failures are due to shallow blowing than any other reason.
 Sub Soiling.
 The subsoil blow is invaluable if the condition of the soil requires it, and the implement is of the right type. If the subsOil is porous, it is of no special benefit, but if a hard pan exists, or the ground below the reach of the ordinary blow is so hard that it does not absorb water readily, it is of great assistance in storing water.
 A subsoiler is not intended to bring the subsoil to the surface, but simply to cut a gash in the hard-pan, permit ting the entrance of air and water. If the point of the blow is large, and the ground is hard it forms air spaces which prevent capillary attraction, hence the only safe subsoil blow to use is one with a thin blade and very small point, not more than an inch and a half thick The blade or cut ter should not exceed one-half inch in thickness. Such a blow can be drawn by two horses, cutting a gash ten or twelve inches below the bottom of the furrow. Engine gangs can be equipped with subsoil attachment, placing one on each alternate blow. Flowing late in the fall and leaving the ground in rough state during the winter is advisable, providing rains and snows occur. In sections of the country where the weather is cold during the winter months, late blowing, leaving the surface rough is very advantageous because land in that condition catches and holds snow and rain much better than when it is smooth and frozen. During the inter- vening time, however. between har- vesting and late fall, the surface should be kept in a condition to readily receive and retain moisture. In southern attitudes where the ground does not freeze, to leave the surface in a rough state would assist evapor- ation. The farmer should be govern ed by conditions and adopt the best possible plan to prevent the loss of water
 Conserving Water.
 Conserving water is just as essen- tial as storing it. We know the amount of water required to make the crop. We know that it can be stored in the subsoils as securely as in cistern, and We know that unless proper means are used, water will escape by evaporation to the extent of one or more inches during a hot l windy day. An acre inch of water weighs 112 tons or one fourth cf the amount required to make an acre of good wheat, hence negligence for two or three days may cost the farmer a ! year of toll.
 The process in conservation is sim pie A surface mulch is effective, and if maintained there is little dan ger of losing cultivated crops, and grain ciOps are in a great measure by it.
 The corrugated roller is beneficial to grain by forming a surface mulch,