Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1912-07-26

IL Is probable that the plan was con-
isd from California practice. A cor
IAN amount OF cultivation Is abso-
iuteiy necessary, but does il seem
that the 'merciless cultivation" and
reckless culture practices give the
pest results? True, they are ideal
methods of conserving soil moisture.
out they have the undesirable feat
"les Oh exposing the bare surface of
the SOIL to the burning rays of the
sun, ana excessive teaching of the
plant food, especially the nitrogen
Gus companies. Such soils easily
wash and erode by action of snow
water and wind Baily has summar-
l2ed the benefits of tillage as fol-
lows
l. Tillage improves the physical
condition of the land
(a) By filming the soil and thereby
presenting greater feeding surface to
the roots;
ID by increasing the depth of soil
and thereby giving a greater forag-
ing and root hold area to the plant;
(c) By warming and drying the
soil in spring
(d) BY reducing the extremes of
temperature and moisture.
2 Tillage may save moisture
(e) By increasing the water hold
ing capacity of the soil;
(f) By checking evaporation.
3. Tillage may augment chemi-
cal activities
60 By aiding in setting free plant
food;
(h) By promoting nitrification;
CD By fastening the decomposi-
ton of organic matter;
CD BY extending these agencies
(g, h, il to greater depths of the
soil.
BY going over this summary of the
| benefits of tillage, it would seem at
first sight that the system followed
by our leading orchardists meets all
| requirements. We find that tillage
improves the physical condition of
the SOIL BY physical condition we
mean its filth and general max e-up,
whether it is compact and hard, or
/ hot bar ic 1ooCa apJ Ioo,n1r
| you, who have travelled about and
| observed the soil in orchards, know
| that in the majority of cases that
the soil is far from being loose and
porous. But on the contrary, it was
compact, it became puddled and ce-
mented together upon being rained
on or irrigated. Some orchard soils
are so hard and compact a few inches
under the surface that in order to
open them a pick must be resorted
| to- And yet these soils receive
thorough cultivation every year.
Evidently something is wrong. By
looking at the summary again under
| Cd we find tillage hastens the de-
composition of organic matter.
Here is the cause of the difficulty.
| Cultivation, bare soils and intensive
sunshine do hasten the decomposi-
ton or literally burn up all the or
ganic matter (humus) in the soil.
| The fact is, that Bailey's classified
| ton is correct, but we have failed
to adapt our system of cultivation to
! the climate. The best advice insists
that tillage and cover-crops (green
manuring) are complimentary prac-
tees. and here in the arid dis
tricts tillage only has been empha-
sized
Humus in the soil is absolutely
necessary to keep it loamy and fri
able. Upon examination we find that
humus is to a great extent lacking
and this deplorable condition will get
worse unless we change our system
of orchard management. The sur
face of the soil is exposed to the sun
the greater part of the year. The
fruit is all hauled off and the leaves
are either blown over on the neigh
boris field or they collect in the fence
corners, where they afford excellent
breeding places for insect pests
Even the prunings are hauled OF
and burned Everything is gong
out and nothing coming in Ito the
soil.)
Everywhere commercial fertilizers
are expensive and not altogether sat
isfactory Barnyard manure in most
orchard districts is usually scarce or
absolutely impossible to secure
There is but one method to pursue
and that is natures method of sup
nlving humus to the soil, which IS TO
grow the humus and other such plant
foods as are possible in the form Oh
cover crops.
This term is not much over ~