Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-08-20
Lessons from the Summers Drouth.

Lessons from the Summers Drouth.
THE VALUE OF HUMUs AND THE IMPoR-
TANCE OF SURFACE CULTIVATION.
Each summer, occurring in almost un-
broken monotony, comes the dry spell
Each summer the wall goes up from
every farming section, "We need rain"
1t probably has always been so clear
back to Abraham. Occasionally We
meet farmers who when asked about the
effect of the dry weather will carefully
shrug their shoulders. They may even
go so far as to tell you that it does not
bother them. | can recall several men
who consider drouth little short of
personal blessing. They have soil OF
such quality and practice methods so
scientific that although the dry spell may
lower their production, the prices OF
their crops, because OF scarcity else
where, will more than overcome the
shortage in quantity.
l admire the man who can make two
blades of grass grow where only one
grew before, but he does not show half
the skill and ability that the man shows
who produces a good crop when his
neighbors get only half crop on account
of drouth.
TOO WET IN SPRING, TOO DRY IN SUM-
,MER.
As frequently as the cry for rain goes
up during the summer does the complaint
reach US of late spring. Take the last
season, for instance. All through the
East farmers were "waiting for the
weather to clear up" How many farms
were too wet to plough or too wet to
plant the last spring? Does any one think
that the growing crops have used all
that moisture since then? If the crops
have secured one-tenth or one. twentieth
they have done we'll. What has become
of it, then, aud how can We conserve it?
Some will say it Is all in the soil. Ger
tainly it is, but the man behind that soil
can do great deal to improve the water
holding capacity of 1t.
In sandy soil the spring rains soak in
quickly and are likely to leach away.
In other words it finds it's way into under
ground channels and finally may become
a part of brook or burst it's way up
ward in the form of spring. Here,
then, of course, comes in the work of the
subsoil. A sandy soil, with hard,
gravelly or clay subsoil, may resist
drouth effects surprisingly. Agood loan
soil, but thin and underlaid with loose
subsoil, may prove disappointing in this
way. With a clayey soil, or loan even,
the spring rains often saturate the top
layer quickly and mnch that comes down
later washes off or remains standing In
pools, to be evaporated and dried up at
the appearance OF the sun. Now, really,
isn't that a queer proposition, when you
come to think of itP In the spring we
wait for the ground to dry up. Just
think of it-dry up. We have too much
water. Two or three months later we are
watching the skies auxiously, waiting
for a promise Of rain.
THE VALUE OF HUMUs.
1t may be that irrigatipg systems will
prove necessary and desirable here in the
East. When see the results some men
are accomplishing with humus am very
much in doubt whether any irrigating
system can compete with them success
fully. Any soil from Virginia yellow
clay to New Jersey fine sands, from New
York State stony apple lands to the
tobacco soil of the Connecticut Valley,
can be improved Oy the addition OF
humus. believe that is one reason why
old farmers rely so strongly on barnyard
manure. 1t not only acts as plant food,
but it is humus. No matter how rich
the soil is the plant food is only avail
able to the young crops in soluble con-
dition. There must be water there
to take up the food and give it to
hungry plants. Humus in the soil
acts as sponge. 1t retains large
quantities of the spring water and gives it
up slowly all through the summer. Not
only that but a soil in good physical
condition (plenty of humus), can be
worked much sooner after a rain than
soil lacking in this matter. So we lind
that this supply of decayed vegetable
matter is beneficial in so many ways. 1t
stands the winter with less washing; the
water soaks in and so carries of less
plant food. 1t can be worked fully a
week or two earlier in the spring. The
water soaks down deeper and the top
dries up more quickly, with less baking
or crusting. II holds much more water.
IL gives the water up slowly and so sup
plies some all summer long. 1t also Is
favorable to the growth of friendly bac-
terra, which change insoluble plant food
into soluble and available forms. 1t
makes the soil easier to work at all
times.
FREQUENT CULTIVATION AS A FACTOR
IN MOISTURE CONSERVATION.
Since dry farming methods in the arid
regions of the country have proved the
efficiency of the dust mulch, people IN
general are realizing that killing weeds
is not the only reason for cultivating.
Just as soon as rain is over the air be.
gins to dry out. As the air becomes
less humid it begins to draw back the
moisture from the soil. 1t simply tries
to equalize things. This evaporation OF
the top soil moisture continues until the
next rainy period, or until the air be-
comes charged or saturated with moist
ure. Then, Just as soon as it begins to
dry out again the soil water is called
upon to replace the deficiency. If the air
ONLY took water from the surface OF the
soil there would still be left great sur
plus in the soil. The action OF the
water in the soil is upward and sideways,
however, Just as much as downward.
As the top soil becomes dry because of
evaporation the moisture in the soil be-
meath comes up to equalize conditions
again. So through this capillary action
the soil during a continued dry period
NAV be dried out to q considerable
depth. This capillarity, however, is only
possible when the minute particles OF the
soil are somewhat compacted. we
know that If we lay blanket or large
box on the ground for a few days, II the
weather has been dry, when We lit IL
up we find the soil underneath decidedly
damp. Just such condition becomes
present when We stir up the top SOIL.
The soil moisture comes up 30 far, drawn
as by lamp wick, but when the loose
particles on top are reached capillarity
ceases and the water is held In the soil.
Now, then, 1t follows that the best
time to cultivate or harrow is immedi'
ately after rain. After that as often
as is practical. In many cases once
week is not considered at all too often.
1 know there are many who Will say,
ave can't spare the time" or I'VE
don't have help enough" Those are