Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1911-03-23
EARLY SPRING WORK.
Prepare Now for Big Harvests-Donp
Leave Il all to Luck.

especially true OF farming OperaL1On
having to do with crop production
To obtain maximum crops in Oregon
1t Is extremely important that prepa
ration begin at once. This is espe
cially true In Oregon, owing to the
scantiness of the rainfall during the
latter part of the growing season
This condition prevails In every sec
tion Of Oregon. While the annual
rainfall in practically every part ol
Oregon is sufficient to produce ex
cellent crops, yet, since most of il
comes during the winter, it is ex
tremely important that it be carefully
husbanded. In Eastern Oregon, OF
course, where the rainfall averages
from six to twenty inches, the need
Of moisture conserving methods of
tillage and cropping has long been
recognized as vitally 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 1t 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 mois
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
DDS will maintain and increase plant
food supply Thorough tillage meth
DDS to conserve moisture will un.
questionably make ample crops pos
sible.
The attention of the Oregon farmer
should be called particularly to the
effect of early spring tillage upon
moisture conservation. When the soil
Is filed with moisture from the sur
face down, following the winter pre-
the first warm, sunshiny
days of spring will cause a 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
Turing the month of April, it may be |
more largely conserved at this time.
The winter precipitation has run the |
surface soil together, forming a com
pact crust on top of the ground, from
which the moisture Is very rapidly |
ost. BY breaking up this crust as
Early as possible in the spring, trans
orming it into a soil mulch three or
our inches in depth, moisture losses
IAN be stopped. In Eastern Oregon I
t has proved most profitable prac |
ice to harrow the fall-sown ground |
wo and even three times in order to
freak this surface crust. Where the
ground is in stubble, both in Eastern
Ind Western Oregon, it is of the
greatest importance to get on the
and rs early as possible with the
lisc harrow this early discing can
)e done long before spring plowing
AN be started This early cultiva
ion before plowing has the advantage
# changing the soil crust to a mois-
ure conserving mulch and, in addi.
ion, will make the spring plowing
much easier and more effective. The
tubble and other trash on the sur
ace of the ground is cut up and
worked into the soil and the clod
making crust is broken, so that when
lowing is done both clods and stub.
lie will no longer be in the way
When the furrow slice is turned a
erfect union between the seed bed
nd the ground underneath, where
he winter moisture is stored, is
lade, so that this tored moisture may
scend into the seed bed during the
rowing season. The early spring
iscing before plowing also has the
dvantage of terminating the weed
eed, so the young weeds may later
e turned under by the plow.
The next step in the spring work, |
specially in Western Oregon, is ma r
uring the land in preparation for )
lch crops as corn, kale and mangels.
he farmer should not forget that I
very ton of manure applied to these I
rops will give return of five or six l
Ollars at harvest time.
The third step is the spring plow-
lg itself. This should be done, of {
purse, when the ground is mellow
nd not so wet as to smear The
Dring plowing should not be as
eep as the fall plowing, but in Ore.
On should not be less than five or !
X inches. In Eastern Oregon, of
)urse, in the dry-farming wheat belt '
is important to follow the spring '
owing with the sub-surface packer a
order to make more perfect con p
sction between the plowed ground
Id the ground underneath it. The A..
ow, Of course, should be followed
7 the harrow in order to prevent .
oisture loss, which is rapid from q
ewly plowed land until the harrow
ulches and protects it, e
The fourth step, especially where {
te-sown crops are to be grown, is II
e frequent narrowing of the plowed
nd, especially after a spring rain n
Is formed a surface crust. This
lrrowing, of course, will conservs
DISTURB, thoroughly pulverize the
Ill, and get rid of weeds. The most
fective time for weed-killing is dur
g this period. This frequent har- U
wing, following the spring plowing. c
III have a marked effect in prepar- u
G the land for alfalfa, corn and field e
,ans. These crops, of course. are o
It seeded until about May 1, since t,
ey require warmer weather and can. h
It endure late frosts. By the time h
ey are seeded. however, the spring =,
ins are practically over, so these
te seeded crOps must be carried "