The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1911-07-08
TO SECURE MOISTURE
Mulch Blanket Formed by Prop
er Use of CuItivator.
Rough Cultivation lmpedes Run-on,
Prevents Mud Forming and Causes
Rain TO Soak in--Effect OF
Summer Filling.

Summer Filling.
CBy e. r. PARSONS, in the Dry Farm
ing Congress Bulletin.)
Soil and water take up more space
than soil alone. therefore when the
moisture dries out 1t leaves a void.
This void Is represented by an In
finite 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 1t dries. Next day these wrinkles
begin to develop into well-defned
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 CO. 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 piece
of summer fallowed land, the loss OK
moisture at three feet below the sur
face was not more than l per cent a
month. This, of course. demonstrates
the advantage of holding your 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 1t 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?' ninety-nine
men out of hundred will answer:
The conservation Of moisture. but II
you happen to strike a dry farmer Of
experience who understands his bust.
ness. he will tell you that the accumu-
lation of moisture is the first half OF
dry farming and the conservation of
moisture the second half. Those who
farm on the conservation theory only
the best because 1t exposes less sur
face to the atmosphere and therefore
causes less evaporation. This theory
is correct as far as It goes, but II we
use smooth cultivation in a cloud
burst country we cannot accumulate
half as much moisture as we can with
rough cultivation, which impedes run
of. prevents mud forming and causes
the rain to soak In.
They are beginning TO find these
things out at the experiment station.
In late bulletin from the department
vt agriculture we are told that sum
mer filling Is not much of 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 1t. Continual
forms ard holds the moisture instead
OF allowing 1t to penetrate. It is like
trying to get water into a -four sack.
AS far as spring crops are concerned,
another factor intervenes, and that Is
the natural packing OF the soil n
until the following spring. the blowing
is then about year old and the
ground much too solid for planting.
F. d. Farrell. formerly in charge OF
the Nephi (Utah) experiment station.
says that during heavy rain of two
was caught in the summer titled land
and we can well understand it-bnt
In the summer fallow plowed ten
inches deep and cultivated rough with
the large-size corn cultivator blades
which leave distinct furrow, we can
catch all this rain as 1t comes. It will
penetrate perhaps six or eight inches.
The summer fallow should be culti.
waited Just enough to keep the weeds
out, no more. II there is any slope.
the cultivation should be always
across, not up and down with It, Mag.
nificent spring crops can be raised on
the summer fallow. provided it has
been treated as above for the &C.
emulation Of moisture. but It must
be plowed again before planting. not
necessarily as deep as the first plow.
ing, for ground packs too hard In
twelve months to secure the best re-
suits.
For spring crops we usually find fall
blowing left rough until the frost Is
out OF the ground the best and most
profitable treatment.
II the disc is used for cultivating
the summer fallow. the land should be |
disced as deep as possible and then
cross-disced without any tapping. by |
this means the surface is followed |
out in squares like checker board |
and will absorb any quantity of mois. |
ture as 1t comes.