Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-04-09
SAVING THE MOISTURE

Nox that our moisture conditions
are favorable 30 Is up 10 as. as farm
cts. 20 make crops this year We
'kroN o. Is not the amount Of rain
that falls on a country that makes
the crops. bg- rather the amount
that We can store and save n the soil
Dor the use Of the croTs.
saving the moisture In The first
place rHr soil should be pat in con
d.u0l % receive all moisture falling
UPON % instead of letting II rua off.
Deep fall blowing and early winter
blowing Is most favorable 10 mois-
tlre storage Ia making the seed.
bed. 10 is well e. REMEMBER that NO
otter cultivation can make amends
far poor preparation our poorest
farmers are those that pillow the least
and shallovost. Again, the depti o.
our farms is the depth we pillow o.
not advisable 90 do deep plowing
af this time OF year. for immediate
planting. unless the soil can be pack
rH-ta.E mechanically Soil that has
mot been pIoVcd vet must necessarily
.e rI0N,d shallow or else must ho
ur, I1 condition with disc harrow OF
lister a. once
Tu save th. moisture in land that
s fo Doc planted in row crops 1t IS
advisable to disc the land al once.
or su.I. ut b. As soon as this
ts done 'ho harrow should be used
ON it enough 10 prevent any crus's
from forming and also 10 keep the
weeds from starting.
Soil Mulch a. no time should a
crust he allowed 10 form on the sur
face ~ a field that Is being pre-
pared for a crop or that has a grow
line crop on II. Evaporation from
The soil Is going on practically all
the time During the times Of evap-
oration. moisture Is constantly car
ried from the lower soil 70 the sur
face by what Is known as "capil-
larry movement" This capillary
movement brings the moisture to the
surface like oil through n lamp wick.
where II escapes into the air This
constant drain soon dries out a soil
Moisture moves upward readily
through firm soil and slowly
through loose soil Thus by pro.
vIdinr a loose surface or mulch this
process Of evaporation is checked
The mulch acts as n blanket or in
snlation. saving the moisture below
g.
We must not ret the soil mulch
confused with the so called dust
mulch 4 fine dust mulch Is dan
serors IN the first place It is lia-
hI, 10 blow. and In the second place
moisture from above does not pass
through 20 rcadilv Water will flood
off n dust mulch before IL will pass
through a.
What is wanted in The way 81
mulch Is to keep a ,oose'suriaCe, Bat
10 be careful not 10 work II too line.
Small clods mixed with the surface
will prevent blowing, II holds the
moisture below, lets surfac, mois-
urc pass through readily and an
swors every requirement.
Depth Of Mulch Tho shallow. one
or two inch mulch is not deep enough
for long hot dry spells, as 81 becomes
heated through too easily and lets
the moisture dry ont under H. Ear
~ in the season, tho shallow mulch
is all right but later, az the danger
of hot. dry weather comes on this
depth must naturally increase, a
three and four inch depth should be
reached by this time.
The common peg-too'h harrow Is
tho best implement TO- this work,
especially n considerable derth is not
needed on account OF depth, disc
harrow Is often necessary A iloat
ar drag very seldom 1oes much good.
As rule. II leaves the mulch 100
fine and too shallow.
Weeds There is no point on which
more criticism IS needed than on the
weed question Mauuum crops can
NOT Dee expected when wr stou 90 con
.dcr that ON the majority u our
FARMS the weeds e.r more 1i the
moisture than Dee crops Moisture
|.rl huus .- 400 .H0. our soils .a. Is
I Zoo Iuar. good crops au rho time
We cannot a.f1.I to -rIv weeds