The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1912-09-13

SummerfaIIoW Is Best and Prao-
ticaIly Only Method.
In Sections Where Rainfall 10 Rather
Light Conservation Of Such 10 OF
Utmost lmportance-Soiutio
Of Weed Problem.

1t is generally agreed, / think. that
as the west is usually subject to only
a rather light rainfall which means
servation Of such is of the utmost i'm
portance. Experiences have found
that the summerfallow Is the best and
practically the only method by which
we can hold the surplus moisture Of
one season over for the benefit OF a
crop in the following season. One
might liken the fallow unto reser-
volr; the water-holding capacity of
which Is determined only by just that
amount Of work and tillage 1t may re-
ceive, and also by doing this work
just at the proper times.
Such fallow will provide at least
seed and bread in the driest OF sea-
sons that we have experienced in the
past twenty-five years. 1t has been
said that our western system Of con-
slant following Is as hard on the soil
as If 1t had been continually cropped
Nevertheless many old fields through
the province which have been worked
under this system are showing up
good today. says a writer in the Win
nipeg Farmers Advocate. No one
can hardly dispute the fact that our
older soils are lacking In fiber and
are also lacking a certain amount oil
fertility, at the same time the sum
merfallowing system sets free fertil'
|1ty. Just how long this may continue
without the addition of manure and
fertilizers Is question which will
probably be only answered by actual
test and demonstration. We know that
soils of different localities differ, that
some lands will stand crop bearing for
longer period than others, but com
nonsense, which IL founded on fact
and practice and not a simple matter
of theory, tells us that the day must
come. when our lands must be re
plenished; in the meantime so long al
the following system brings forth thu
yield 1t should we would consider thai
have a revolution in climatic condi
lions.
I use all the manure available ant
am seeding down to grass my oldes
land and intend that all the land will
take its turn under this system, blu
I am not going to drop the fallow I'm
less 1t drops me. The system of sum
merfallowing, combined with sprin,
and fall cultivation, Is the most prac
teal method at the present time o
controlling the weed problem, whicl
goes hand-in-hand with the conserve
ton Of moisture. One cannot groy
weeds and conserve moisture at tn
same time. Probably weeds and plant
are more fatal than the sun and win
toward depicting an area of the mois
ture contents. for we can proven
evaporation to very great exten
by a mulched surface or dust blanke
but weeds are working above and be
uous pumping on the moisture suppl
until their maturity. The summerfa
low Is conducted for the purpose Q
DISCRIMINATING these plants and ais
for the purpose of coaxing the seed
which lie in the soil to terminate
that they may be killed of by the GU
tivation; the latter purpose being pei
haps the more important Of the tw
to consider when we are discussin
the ACCESSIBILITY of summerfallowing
Many of our noxious weed seed
have an abominable habit OF lyin
dormant in the soil for all manner c
periods until conditions are just sui
able to their particular whims. tn
lack of moisture and heat no dout
having much to do with this; We
among wild oats, buckwheat and som
of the mustards a goodly proportio
of these seeds seem to ignore any COZ
dition and lie over for a season. Thes
are the pests that the summerfallov
ing makes the greatest count agains
though 1t is not a guarantee agains
their entire destruction.
Bacteria for Alfalfa Soil.
lF11 90