The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1912-08-09
HOLD SOIL MOISTURE
SummerfalIoW Is Best and Prac-
tiCally Only Method.
In Sections Where Rainfall Is Rather
Light Conservation Of Such Is Of
Utmost lmportance-solutIon
Of Weed Problem.


It Is generally agreed, l think, that
as the west is usually subject to only
a rather light rainfall which means
briefly "a lack of moisture" the con-
servation Of such is of the utmost Inn
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 a reser-
voir; the water-holding capacity OF
which is determined only by just that
amount of work and tillage it 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 It 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 Of
fertility, at the same time the sum-
merfallowing system sets free fertil-
ity. 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 is 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 as
the following system brings forth the
yield 1t should we would consider that
we have no better method, unless we
have a revolution in climatic condi-
lions.
I use all the manure available and
am seeding down to grass my Oldest
land and intend that all the land will
take its turn under this system, but
! am not going to drop the fallow I'M
less It drops me. The system of sum
merfallowing, combined with spring
and fall cultivation, is the most prac.
tical method at the present time OF
controlling the weed problem, which
goes hand-in-hand with the conserva
ton OF moisture. One cannot grow
weeds and conserve moisture at the
same time. Probably weeds and plants
are more fatal than the sun and wind
toward depicting an area of the mois
ture contents, for we can prevent
evaporation to a very great extent
by mulched surface or dust blanket
but weeds are working above and be
low the surface and keep up a contln
uous pumping on the moisture supply
until their maturity. The summerfal
low is conducted for the purpose o.
exterminating these plants and also
for the purpose of coaxing the seeds
which lie in the soil to terminate
that they may be killed off by the cul
tivation; the latter purpose being per
haps the more important of the two
to consider when we are discussing
the advisability of summerfallowing
Many of our noxious weed seed
have an abominable habit Of lyin,
dormant in the soil for all manner o
periods until conditions are just suit
able to their particular whims, tn,
lack Of moisture and heat no doub
having much to do with this; ye
among wild oats. buckwheat and som,
Of the mustards a goodly proportion
of these seeds seem to ignore any con
dition and lie over for a season. ~
a4, e. AIs.Ir 90