Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-05-11

that falls on a country that makes
the crops. but rather the amount that
We can store and save in the soll for
the usO of the crops.
saving the Moisture.
In the first place the soll should
bo put IN condition 70 receive all
moisture falling upon IL instead OF
letting Il run OFF. Deep fall blowing
ana early winter blowing IL most
favorable 90 moisture storage. In
making the seed bed it IS we'll to re-
member that no after cultivation can
make amends for poor preparation
our poorest farmers are those that
pillow tho least and shaliowose. Again.
the depth of our farms Is tho depth
We plow. It IL not advisable 20 do
deep blowing az this time OF year for
immediate planting unless the soil
can be packed back mechanically
Soil that has not been niowed yet
must necessarily be plowed shallow
or else must be put In condition with
disc harrow or lister az once.
To save tho moisture IN land that
r. % be planted in row crops u Is
advisable 20 disc the land at once or
aingle-iist IT, Az soon as this Is done
the harrow should be used on II
enough 10 prevent any crusts from
forming and also TO keep the weeds
from starting.
AZ no time should a crust be al
lowed 70 form on the surface Of q
field that Is being prepared for q
crop or that has q growing crop on
Il. Evaporation from the soil e. goo
ing on practically all the time. Dur
ing the timea OF evaporation, moiHt-
ure Is constantly carried from the
lower soil Co the surface by what r.
known as capillary" movements.
This capillary movement brings the
moisture TO the surface like OIL
through lamp wick, where Il
escapes into the air. This constant
drain soon dries os; Il soil.
Moisture moves upward readily
through firm soil ana slowly
through a loose soil. Thus. by pro-
viding a loose surface. or mulch, THO
process OF evaporation Is checked. The
mulch acts as n blanket or Insulation,
saving the moisture below Il. We
must not get tho soil mulch confused
with the so-called dust mulch" A
fine dust mulch is dangerous. In the
first place Il Is liable to blow. and
IN the second place moisture from
above does not pass through Il read
lly Water will often flood off a
dust mulch before Il will pass through
II. What Is wanted in tho way OF
mulch il to keep a loose surface, but
10 be. careful not se wsrk- ie too ftnef
Small elods mixed with the surface
will prevent blowing; Il holds the
moisture below, let's surface moisture
pass through readily and answers
every requirement.
The shallow une or two-lnch mulch
Is not deep enough for long, hot dry
spells. as It becomes heated through
too easily and lets the moisture dry
out under IT, Early In tho season the
shallow mulch Is all rlght but later.
as the danger OF hot. dry weather
comes on. this depth must naturally
increase. and three and four~inch
depth should be reached By this
time.
The common peg-toOth harrow IL
che best implement for this work,
especially II considerable depth Is not
needed. ON account 81 depth a disc
harrow IL often necessary. float
or drag very seldom does much good.
As a rule Il leaves the mulch too fine
and too shallow.
There Is no point on which more
criticism Is needed than on the weed
question Maximum crops cannot DE
expected when we stop 20 consider
that on the majority % our farms the
weeds get more OF the moisture than
the crops. Moisture and humus Is
ali that our soils lack 20 insure good
crops an the time.
We cannot AFFORD to grow weeds 70
supply this humns, because they pol
son our soils and take out the spree
clous" moisture needed By the crops.
Moisture IL our crop bank account;
weeds are the deadly MORTGAGES
Theer is no better time TO Kill
weeds than when they are IN the
terminating stages IL done ia time.
! there @ no better implement for the
work than the common peg tooth
harrow.
Like begets like" Inferior seed
cannot and win not produce maximum
crops. The best seed Is none too good
for our conditions. There H. no ques-
ton bat that our wheat, oats. cotton
kaHr. maize and other crops can be
Increased IN yiela and qualify al least
one-foursh By the uae % the right
/ kiad Of seed.
Many low yields can be traced d.
rectly 70 too thick stand. no Insure
good WeldF every plant must kaye q
chance. our conditions do NOT re-
oulrc over one half az much seed ~
a usually planted under hpr@ ara
Irrigated conditions. Our farmers
can save seed and money, besides In
surfing better yields BY planting less
seed per acre.
ia some sections wheat may be con-
sidered as good cash crop, while IA
ether sections cotton ia hest some
years these crops may yield enough
rs practically pay for the land, BUS
other years they may not return tie
seed. Failures III these and other
crops may cover from one 20 three
Il YEAR, The farmer who depends On
the crops for bis entire income =
likely 70 fan also.
crops must be- planted every yeaf
shat arc practically drouth rcsisiant'
Corn cannot be- depended upon Win
AZ