American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1912-12-12
70 CONTROL MOISTURE
Packing Brings Supply o. Mats,
From Below.



TO properly understand the eject
- any implement on thu moisture
content Of The soil 1t IL necessary
"a We understand the WAY water
hcts- The kind Of soil water which u Of
mast importance to Z farmer q what
. somstimes caIlsd capillary water.
THIS capillary water II what ID com.
~ up from lower levels in the soil
~ Inc tins to the surface. The 90
tson Of this water d sssn when dry
send Or sarth = put IN : small basin
9 water 20 that the soil Il away
eDove the vessel ~ccntaining Il. II
tpsre 70 enough water In the basin Il
would saturats the soil 70 the very
top. much In the same way - :
sponge would absorb the watsr. or :
amp wick acts In conveying the oil
tom the bowl Of the lamp 70 the end
nat b lighted. The inner the soil
particles are the more water they
viii retain and hold q Z aim around
these particles. This d moisture
which the plants growing In such Z
sotl may use. The harder the soil 10
packed the nor readily this oapil.
larry water comes to the surface. The
looser this soil 10 the slower 1t comes.
This will explain why It II necessary
then to . the packer Or heavy roll
or to secure this lrmnsss Of soil In or
der TO bring the capillary water free
" TO the point Of contact with tho
roots OF the plants. Surprising the
soil u packed and left smooth on the
surface an the ordinary land roller
leaves Il. then the capillary water
would come right to the surface and
the wind would lick II up with the
heat and away II would 20 In the
air. Any system of cultivation that
VIII prevent this will cut on the chin
neys. no TO speak. from coming right
to tho surface so that they discharge
tho moisture In the loose soil below
the surface whore the plant roots are.
Hence It II that in a cultivated hoe
crop, even In the dricst time. one can
with the use OF his boot o tho
moist soil. Often when walking and
looking back at ones foot prints the
moisture shows at the surface of the
packed soil v when tho loose sur
face soil 10 apparently dry. Az the
ordinary land packer would not leave
tho surface ~ smooth ~ the round
roller. and It wouldn't have ths same
effect In encouraging the evaporation
OF the capillary water. II shouldn't
be forgotten. however. that . harrow
may be used after the ordinary land
roller. and II will break up this waste
OF soil moisture by restoring the dust
blanket. II should not b. overlooked
either that In bare following tho land
the surface coil becomes very finely
divided into soil PARTICLES to some
depth. say eight or nine inches. and
this becomes . reservoir for the reten.
tion Of capillary water for the crops
which follow. The more and the inner
this soil II worked the more water II
win hold and the surer one Is Of q
crop In a dry climate or In . dry sea-
son.
In = test made some years < by
Prof.. =. II. King. the surface OF the
soil was cultivated frequently to q
depth Of three inches during a period
OF f~orty-nine days while an adjacent
strip was untouched. Both pieces
were kept free from weeds or other
vegetation. During the whole time
the average daily loss OF water was
las Q pei acre from the cult.
waited ground and f7.e tons on the I'M
cultivated land This was a difference
OF 1s2s tons OF water per acre In ser
en- weeks In favor Of the cultivated
land. II a man should attempt to haul
monn Of water on I the land
with teams he would hare q stupen-
Gus undertaking. and yet the actual