Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1911-08-17
VALUE OF DUST MULCH
Many Crops in Time of Drought
Saved by Method.
Fertility of Soil, Although Absolutely
Necessary, Is Not a Bit More Need
ed Than the Proper Amount
of Moisture.

Ordinarily when one thinks of the
conditions that are imperative to
insure the production of a farm
crop of any kind that may be grown,
he thinks of the fertile soil as the
most important of all. And it Is, OF
course, absolutely necessary that a
soil with abundant plant food be
planted on to get a crop.
But the soil, or rather the plant
it is not a bit more SO than the
needed amount of moisture, say a
writer in the Farm Progress.
Fortunately water Is in sufficient
supply as a rule to make the ordi-
nary crops on most of the arabic
land. Of course, in the arid regions
the water supply is obtained from
streams created mainly by melting
SHOWS, and as a rule, the irrigation
companies know just about what
water can be supplied, and the man
who has a farm On which he can put
water from an irrigation plant is far
more certain of results than n who
gets his water supply by the acts OF
Providence.
The irrigation farmer is therefore
far more certain as to the outcome OF
his crops than those in the rain belt,
ing to the rainfall.
The water supply is therefore the
most uncertain and most important
in the greater portion of the arabic
lands of this country. This is so well
known that no farmer who has
abundance of water, is willing to go
back to the old method and put his
dependence on Providence"
1t is a most important point to
known whether, under normal condi-
tions, farming in any humid section
can be as safe, free from risk, and
profitable as the business can be
made when one can turn on the
water as he needs without reference
to rainfall.
| think that all farmers who have
studied the water question in connec-
klOh Will Twp lohAh6 "iA =
with me, that a great deal can be
done to conserve the moisture from
all natural sources, and that often a
fairly good crop can be made by
proper management.
1t is hardly safe to say that the
rainfall that is usual in the spring is
sufficient to make a crop without
more rain, but all observant men
have learned that the rational con
servation of moisture can often make
good crops, when by the neglect OF
this, they will be certain to a
failure.
This is a very important point, and
in some seasons it is absolutely vital
to the making of a fair crop. There is
no mystery about this; the point to
keep in mind is to prevent evapora-
ton of the water from the soil.
1t cannot be done entirely; much
water will evaporate in spite. of us,
and much will go on down below the
reach of plant roots; but in season
or only ordinary drought it is posi-
BILE to conserve enough moisture to
make a fair crop of corn. tobacco, po-
tatoes and other hoed crops.
The dust mulch" or blanket OF
finely pulverized soil on the surface,
three to four inches deep. will
stop the waste of water almost en-
tirely. In fact, if the soil is kept
stirred on the surface quite often. 1t
may be truthfully said that all the
moisture may be kept in the ground
for the use of the crops.
Of course, We can never tell at the
beginning of the season whether it is
going to be a wet season or a dry
one, but if a man c~ultivates with
reference to keeping the moisture in
the soil, it will be all the better in
case of a very wet season, and it may
be the salvation of the crop in case
of severe drought. So it is wise to
keep this in mind.
1t is therefore very important for
one to plant no more land than he
can cultivate perfectly, and always
in a dry season to keep the soil
stirred to a depth Of two or three
inches. No matter whether the cult
walton is actually needed or not.
stirring as often as possible a few
inches of the surface will stop the
escape as absolutely as a cover OF
sheet iron.
Those who doubt this method Of
saving crops from suffering by
drought should try this method
thoroughly. 1t takes labor, but it
perience.