The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-08-27
CONSERVING THE MOISTURE
THAT IS NOW TN THE SOIL

THE crop Of 1912 is simply phenom-
email in the states Of the northwest.
In the aggregate 1t was DOUBTLESS
Rourke. But the conclusion should
not be reached that this result is w
ing to the high class character Of The
farming. With the same rainfall as
in 1910 the results would be little If
any Improvement on the crop of that
year. The bumper crop of the present
is owing almost entirely to the unusual
rainfall Of the present season AND to
the timeliness with which 1t fell.
This rainfall, unusual in the length
of it's continuance. has not only given
the farmer the bumper crop referred
to, but it will also give him at least
a reasonable crop in 1913 If 1t is prop
er1y conserved, even though the a
should be a dry one. How shall this
moisture be conserved? First, by disc
ing the stubbles; second, by blowing
later in the season; third, by stirring
the soil In early spring with disc or
harrow or both. and fourth, by harrow
ing the grain once or oftener after it
has begun to grow.
Discing the Stubblea,
I'm an exceedingly dry year discing
the stubbles after harvest may no ac-
complish much by way Of conserving
moisture, but it will open up the dry
soil so the rain may penetrate IL
more easily should 1t fall. But In a
year like the present there Is much
moisture eve IN stubble land. 1t is
greatly important that 1t shall be con-
served. AS soon, therefore. as the
crop is removed the stubble land should
be we'll disced. If the harrow can fol-
low the operation will be more COM
plete, but this is not absolutely es-
sential. The discing will exert a very
potent influence on the retention OF
moisture. 1t also allows moisture that
may fall subsequently to the discing to
penetrate more deeply than it other
wise would.
Flowing in the Autumn,
THE land that Is thus disced should
be plowed later in the fall. Some
farmers argue that stubble land should
not be plowed or ven disced in the
fall, since the undisturbed stubbles
may better hold the snow, but the pre-
ponderance of argument is easily in
favor of autumn blowing. The land
that has been disced Is easily plowed
and the same power will pillow 1t more
deeply than il It had o been disced.
1t is not So essential to pillow disced
land in the fall that is to be planted
with corn. If the stubble land thus
disced cannot all be plowed in the fall,
the blowing of what is intended for
corn can best be deferred. Much has
been written about packing fall plowed
land, but 1t is not very often that lands
plowed In the autumn require to be
packed.
Stirring the Soil in Early Spring.
Stirring the soil in the early spring
with disc or harrow or both as coca
sion may call for, is but little practiced,
4 TN Iz r.. nANyAetkn 1ncG I nf OTAn IN m nr1an Tnt
and should be done as soon as the
ground can be stirred thus without i'm
jury to its mechanical condition. II
stays at once the loss Of moisture from
the soil, at least for q time. Even,
though crops are to be planted late, as
in the case of alfalfa, this stirring OF
the soil is very important. OF course
it can only be done on summer-fallow
ed land or corn or potato land of the
previous year, or on land that had been
autumn plowed.
Narrowing the Grain.
when grain has been sown on land
thus prepared, the moisture may be
further held by narrowing the grain.
The best stage for the first narrowing
is when the grain is just beginning to
appear. The best implement for har-
rowing 1t, all things considered is a
light adjustable steel harrow, The
teeth should be slsnted backward with
some few exceptions. But a weeder
may be more suitable for soft soils,
If a second narrowing is Civ
en- the grain should be, say four or
FIVE inches high at the time. so that
none of 1t will be buried. Even fax
and alfalfa may be narrowed, but not
| when they are coming up. If they are
narrowed 1t should be. when they are
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