Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1911-04-14
EARLY SPRING WORK.
Prepare Now for Big Harvests-Dopt
Leave L all to Luck.

The first steps in any undertaking
are generally the most critical ones
as affecting later success. This is
especially true of farming operations
having to do with crop production.
To obtain maximum crops in Oregon,
it 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
ton Of Oregon. While the annual
rainfall in practically every part of
Oregon is sufficient to produce ex-
cellent crops, yet, since most of 1t
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 it 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, 1t 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
ods will maintain and increase plant
food supply. Thorough tillage meth
ods 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 filled with moisture from the sur
face down, following the winter pre-
cipitation, 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
during the month of April, 1t may be
more largely conserved at this time.
The winter precipitation has run the
surface soil together, forming COM
rot 10 Of hn 0rnttnd from
which the moisture is very rapidly
lost. BY breaking up this crust as
early as possible in the spring, trans
forming it into soil mulch three or
four inches in depth, moisture losses
can be stopped. In Eastern Oregon
1t has proved a most profitable prac
lice to harrow the fall-sown ground
two and even three times In order to
break this surface crust Where the
ground is in stubble, both in Eastern
and Western Oregon, 1t Is of the
greatest Importance to get on the
land as early as possible with the
disc harrow; this early discing can
be done long before spring plowing
can be started. This early cultiva
tion before plowing has the advantage
of changing the soil crust to mois
ture conserving mulch and, in addl
tion, will make the spring plowine
much easier and more effective. The
stubble and other trash on the sur
face of the ground is cut up and
worked into the soil and the clod
making crust is broken so that wheT
plowing is done both clods and stub
BILE will no longer be in the way
When the furrow slice is turned q
perfect union between the seed bee
and the ground underneath, where
the winter moisture is stored, Il
made, so that this tored moisture may
ascend into the seed bed during the
growing season. The early spring
discing before plowing also has the
advantage of terminating the weet
seed, so the young weeds may latel
be turned under by the plow.
The next step in the spring work
especially in Western Oregon, Is ma
nuring the land in preparation fol
such crops as corn, kale and mangels
The farmer should not forget tina
every ton of manure applied to these
crops will give a return of five or 81,
dollars at harvest time.
The third step Is the spring plow
ing itself. This should be done, o
course, when the ground Is mellow
and not so wet as to smear. Tht
spring plowing should not be al
deep as the fall plowing, but in Ore
gon should not be less than five o.
six inches. In Eastern Oregon, o
course. in the dry-farming wheat belt
II Ia imnOrtant IN follow the sDrin,
plowing with the sub-surface packe
In order to make more perfect con
nection between the plowed groun'
and the ground underneath 1t. Th'
plow, of course, should be followe,
by the harrow in order to preven
moisture loss, which is rapid iron
newly plowed land until the harroy
mulches and protects it.
The fourth step, especially wher
late-sown crops are to be grown, |