American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1913-03-20
LESSONS FROM DaY.FARMING
Farmers In Humid Regions Of East
Can Gain Suggestions Degrading
Conservation Of Moisture.

Conservation Of Moisture.
From the dry-farming methods
which are SO necessary to success
throughout the west. farmers In the
more humid districts Of the east can
often gain valuable suggestions with
regard to the proper conservation OF
moisture. One lesson which may Be
learned Is In reference to the treat
zen Of the small grains. The east.
ern farmer usually considers wheat,
oats and barley as crops which cannot
be cultivated Consequently no atten-
ton IL paid to them from the time
they are own until they are ready
to harvest. Not SO with the up-to-
date farmer. He ~cultivates his grain
nelds after every rain from the time
they are well started In the spring un.
III they are too high to allow OF furth.
err cultivation, says the Country Gen
tleman The spike-tooth harrow is
used for the earlier workings: as the
grain grows larger the weeder Is sub
stituted. BY e of the latter i'm
plement grain may be cultivated al.
up to the time when 1t begins to
head.
The advantages of this cultivation
are two'fold, In the first place It
serves TO break the crust which Is SO
likely 70 form after the spring rains.
and to close the cracks which the
frost has made In the winter grain
fields This lessons the evaporation
OF moisture. which Is most rapid from
rrusted or cracked soil, and c~onserves
IL until 1t is most needed by the grow.
Ing crop. The advantage of this pre-.
caution is most apparent In the semi.
arid districts. but in dry seasons 1t is
noticeable everywhere.
la the east rolling winter wheat as
soon as 1t is safe to so on the ground
Ia the spring is perhaps to be pre-
ferred TO narrowing. If clover Is
planted with the wheat II should be
sown before the rolling is done. The
rolling overs the clover SEED and
also firms the soil about the roots OF
the wheat plants where 1t has l,een
loosened by heaving. The other effect
OF cultivation Is In the keeping down
Of weeds. and for this purpose 1t is
Just as useful and just as necessary In
the east as In the west. Small weeds
are very easily killed with the harrow
or weeder, and If the work is properly
done the grain will not be injured.
Three precautions are necessary in
handling small grain. Drilled grain
only should be narrowed, for cultiva-
ton destroys a portion of the stand
OF that which has been sown broad.
cast and sc lessons the yield. For the
same reason the narrowing should be
In the direction of the drill rows
rather than across them. Fields on
grass or clover seed has been
should not be narrowed, for the
young plants are as easily killed by
this treatment as are the weeds. None
OF these precautions need be observed
II the roller Is used on winter grain,
but the roller Is OF little or no use in
killing weeds. In the east, except In
the driest seasons. 1t will not usually
be profitable to harrow grain fields
than once.
Another lesson which may be learn.
ed from the dry-farmer is the disking
Of land which Is to be plowed later In
to keep the soil from baking un.
til the blowing can be completed.
This practice was begun in the west
on grain stubble after harvest In or
der to bold whatever moisture was In
soil, for usually little rain falls
after that time. Since the disking can
be done much more rapidly than the
blowing. there is less chance for evap-
o%ration. and the land then remains
some time In good condition for
In addition to remaining In condi.
len to pillow for a much longer period.
land which has been disked is much
less inclined to break up in clods and
Jumps than undisked soil. and hence
Is more easily put in condition for
planting. The loose earth which is
to the bottom of the frrrow
mites much more readily with the
slice. and no larger air spaces
ire left