American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-07-06
TO SECURE MOISTURE
Mulch Blanket Formed by Prop
er Use of CuItivator.
Rough Cultivation impedes Run-Off,
prevent Mud Forming and Causes
Rain to Soak In-Effect Of
Summer TiIlina.
CBy E. r. PARSONS. in the Dry Farm
Ing Congress BulletinD

tby z. K. PARSONS. in the Dry Farm
Ing Congress Bulletin.)
SOIL n water take up more space
than soil alone, therefore when the
moisture dries out it leaves a void.
This void is represented by an in
Unite number of fine ~crevices or cracks
which zig-zag in every direction.
After a storm, when the sun comes
out, the surface of the earth under
the magnifying glass begins to wrinkle
as it dries. Next day these wrinkles
begin to develop into w~ell-deined
cracks or assures which go deeper
and deeper every day as the ground
dries out and contracts from the sur
face down. These %crevices allowing
the free circulation of air as far as
they go, cause very rapid evaporation.
AS we go deep into the subsoil away
below these cracks, the evaporation is
very slight.
During the drouth of 1908 on a piece
OF summer fallowed land, the loss O.,
moisture at three feet below the sur
face was not more than | per cen a
month. This, of course, demonstrates
the advantage of holding you mois-
ture in the right place.
By using the cultivator we form a
mulch of earth in the granular condi-
ton which, being loose, settles as the
moisture goes out of it without form
ing cracks, and not only checks and
plugs up the crevices already formed,
but prevents the formation of fresh
ones.
II you ask the question, What con-
stitutes dry farming?" n~inety-nine
men out of a hundred will answer
The conservation of moisture, but If
you happen to strike a dry farmer of
experience who understands his bust
ness. he will tell you that the u
dry farming and the conservation of
moisture the second half. Those who
farm on the conservation theory only
will argue that smooth cultivation is
the best because it exposes less sur
face to the atmosphere and therefore
causes less evaporation. This theory
is correct as far as 1t goes, but II we
use SLlOOLu CulllNdllOu III q ClOuu-
burst country we cannot accumulate
half as much moisture as we ear with
rough cultivation, which impedes run
off. prevents mud forming and causes
the rain to soak in.
They are beginning to find these
things u at the experiment station.
In a late bulletin from the department
of agriculture we are told hat sum
mer tilling is not much of a success
except for winter crops, and they find
that spring crops usually do as we'll
planted in the ordinary way. The fact
is, summer filling ~conserves moisture
but does not accumulate it. Continual
forms and holds the moisture instead
Of allowing it to penetrate. 1t is like
to get water into a flour sack.
AS far as spring crops are concerned,
another factor i~ntervenes, and that is
the natural packing of the soil. If
summer fallowed land is not planted
the following spring, the blowing
is then about a e old and the
ground much too solid for planting.
F. D. Farrell. formerly in charge of
the Nephi (Utah) experiment station,
that during a heavy rain of two
and fi~ve-tenths, only fi%ve-tenths
al caught in the summer titled land
and we can we'll understand it-but
In the summer fallow plowed ten
deep and cultivated rough with
the large-size corn c%ultivator blades
which leave a distinct furrow. we can
catch all this rain as it comes. 1t will
penetrate perhaps six or eight inches.
The summer fallow should be Guilt
waited just enough to keep the weeds
he cultivation should be always
across. not up and down with it. Mag
spring crops can be raised on
he summer fallow, provided it has
oeen treated as above for the ac-
emulation of moisture. but it must
De plowed again before planting. not
necessarily as deep as the first plow-
ng. for ground packs too hard in
.welve months to secure the best re-
suits.
For spring crops We usually find fall
blowing left rough until the frost is
nj Of the ground the best and most
profitable treatment.
II the disc is used for cu~ltivating
he summer fallow, the and should be
lisced as deep as possible and then
ross-disced without any tapping; by
his means the surface is followed
nut in squares like a checker board
nd will absorb any quantity of mois-
ure as it comes.
CABBAGE.