The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1912-03-07
DRY FARMING SOILS
Addition OF Humus Does Not In
crease Availability Of Water.
TO Secure Greatest Benefit sarnyard
Manure Should Be Applied In
Small Amounts and at Rath-
er Frequent Intervals.


. soil in the dry-farming regions does
uot increase the availability of water
IN the ground and that humus- bearing
barnyard manure, straw,
leaves, or other vegetable matter
should be added to the soil frequently
IN small amounts, are conclusions
irawn from experiments recently con-
sucted at the experiment station OF
the state OF Washington. says the
Country Gentleman.
The basis of the experiments was
toll taken from the dry-farming zones,
one cubic foot .of which, without
humus, weighed eighty pounds and
was capable of absorbing and retain
Ing, without drainage, 25 per cent. OF
It's weight of water or the water, only
1853 pounds could be taken up by
plants. whiting occurring when cubic
foot of the soil held but 80 pounds OF
water. Seventy-six pounds OF this
soil was mixed with four pounds OF
humus, the soil being capable OF hold
Ing 19 pounds OF water. and the humus
Iour-that is. 100 per cent. OF its
weight A cubic foot of the humus-
bearing soil retained % pounds OF wa
ter, while a similar amount OF soil
without humus held but 20 pounds.
Forty per cent OF the water held by
the humus lie pounds-and 3.O4
pounds held by the soil were unavail-
able to plants.
Since In one cubic foot OF soil with
out humus, containing 20 pounds OF
water, but 16.S pounds we're available
for the growth of plants, In tier OF
three cubic feet of soil 50.4 pounds OF
water were available for plants. To
make this amount of water available
In three cubic feet of soil without hu-
mus volume of water a foot square
and IL inches deep was required, the
amount available-50.4 pounds-being
equal to 81 inches of the depth indi-
Gated
With these facts in mind the next
problem was TO find how many inches
of water would be available to plant
growth when five per cent. OF humus
was put into cubic foot of soil. In
the humus-b bearing soil, as stated, from
% pounds of moisture retained 1886
pounds we're available for the use OF
plants. II was found that the soil
containing humus absorbed a greater
amount OF water than did the soil
without humus, two and three-fourths
cubic feet OF the former holding as
much water as had been retained by
three cubic feet OF the silt. Since
1886 pounds OF water we're available
for the growth of plants in a cubic
foot of the humus-laden soil, two and
three-fourths cubic feet held 50.4S
pounds Of available water-or a vol
ume a foot square by 971 inches deep
Hence, with no humus in the soil. 81
inches OF the given volume had beer
available for plants. and with humui
added in the amount indicated, 81
inches of the same volume were avail
able.
Said Prof. Clark c. Thom, in dis
cussing these results: In all case.
where humus is added to the soil wa
ter is held nearer the surface and II
therefore more easily evaporated
Five per cent. OF humus-which is al
much as is likely to be added-doei
not increase the Availability OF mois
ture and is OF no direct benefit in thiI
respect; indeed. 1t may even be detri
mental in that It holds the moistur,
nearer the surface, where II is mor'
quickly evaporated.
The beneficial results OF humus ar,
In creating a new supply OF plant foot
and 1t is always advisable. even i'm
perative, that humus be present II
the soil Clays are opened up by II
washing is prevented and nitrogen 4
supplied.
1T is a common experience amoni
farmers who add great amounts OF ma
nure to their land to observe on tn
following year that the crop burn
where the fertilizer was supplied. Th'
reason for this is obvious. The ma
nure they have added is able to re
tain its own weight in water, or praC
tically so, and this amount 1t at ono
absorbs from the soil. OF the amour
absorbed, however, only about sixt
per cent. is available for the growt
OF plants, the rest being locked VI
Hence the following year the soil 1
actually dried out by the manure
and burning results. But the secon
year will show benefits from the US
of the fertilizer, since 1t has by thi
time stored up its 40 per cent. re
serve. retaining this amount OF moii
ture in excess OF what would othei
wise be present In the ground.
1T Is thus made plain why farmer
should not dump great amounts c
barnyard manure on their land at II
tervals OF from three to ten years. a
some do. To give the greatest beneti
the manure should be added In smaI
amounts and at more frequent intel
walls"