The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-03-14
THE
BED FOR SEED

In preparing the seed bed in which
seeds are to terminate and later
grow, several things must be con-
sidered. The seed must have mois-
ture in order to terminate, it must
have warmth and it must have air. A
soil that is Of very loose texture will
not supply the moisture that the seeds
need. for the reason that the capillary
by which the water is carried to the
seed must be compact. Aabove the
seed the soil should not be
so compact for then the mois-
ture will escape from the soil too
rapidly and also it shuts out the air
from the seed. When water evapor-
ates from any surface it carries away
heat with it, lowering the temperature
of the surface from which it escapes.
for this reason, as much as for the
reason that we wish to conserve the
moisture for the crop, evaporation
should be prevented as far as possible.
1t is a we'll known fact that loamy
soil will warm up in the spring more
quickly than heavy clay soil. The
reasons are two. Evaporation is pre-
vented more easily in the loamy soil
and the warm air can circulate more
freely. This makes it possible to plant
the loamy soil earlier than the clay
soil. In preparing a seeded, there
fore, one must seek to have firm
strata just below the seeds and more
open strata just above them.
This is obtained in several ways.
A very common way is to pillow and
as possible, if it has not been plowed
-. ~ f~1l hat -
may compact it before the seed is
sown. When seeding time comes the
seed is drilled in rather than sown
broadcast and then the field narrowed
to pulverize the strata. This leaves
the seed on firm bed and loose
strata of the soil above the seed. Fall
blowing is nearly always the best and
when the soil is Of such nature or
is so located that it cannot be plowed
early in the spring It should always
be plowed in the fall. If it has not
been plowed in the fall it is sometimes
desirable not to plow at all in the
spring but to drill the seed into the
unplowed soil. Another method of
reaching the same object is to use
one of the sub-surface compartors
sold on the market for this purpose.
In case the SOIL - 50 loose tuSS u WIZ
| drift before the plants are high enough
| to prevent it. the surface mulch may
be protected by thin covering of
/ straw.
In this connection it should be
|. borne in mind that poor termination
Of seed is perhaps more often due to
the incorrect temperature of the soil
at the time of planting than to any
other cause. Farmers are often over
anxious to get their grain crops in;
and they argue that even If the soil
is somewhat cold now and then the
seeds that do not terminate now will
terminate. II must be remembered
that seeds are storehouses of food
that can be used by the soil organisms
as we'll as by the higher animals. They
are quickly made the prey Of the
fungi and lower animal forms of the
soil. Because OF this large percent-
age Of the seed that would terminate
il planted in soil Of the. right temper
AZURE fail to terminate even when the
| soil warns up. A good seed bed
should be prepared and the seed
planted when the soil has warmed up
to the correct temperature, not before.
p p PETERSON.