The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1913-01-24
DEEP FLOWING BIG Benefit
Dominant Factor In Carrying Mole
turs Over Winter for the Prodvc-
duction OF Good Crop.

II Is wonderful how little moisture
penetrates our harder soils In sum-
mer- no matter how abundant the rain
fail may be, and even long experience
with such soils hardly prepare one for
their dry condition when one goes
forth to plow.
The moisture falling 30 late this
season there has not been SO much
evaporation. and In some soils | have
observed the downward penetration
mas been much greater than with q
great deal more precipitation In tho
summer months. and it is likely to
endure for some time, giving an op-
portunity for deep blowing
1t Is not necessary here to urge deep
plowing Is suitable to all conditions
The point is, is it not necessary to
our hard land, especially those to be
dry farmed,
Merely as matter of carrying over
water in the soil and for the entrance
OF later rains and snow, is 1t not the
one most dominant factor In produc-
Ing crops; is not the question OF max
ing use OF our denser dry soils one Of
bringing them more to the porous
condition OF sander soil, which alb
serbs all the rainfall and a great deal
or snow before 1t evaporates In our
warm sun and dry atmosphere?
II the answer is yes, then the inn
portance Of blowing deeply when con-
dltions are favorable as at present
must not be overlooked unless we
have command Of deep tillage tools
and power to operate them, and even
with these less expensive result will
be claimed than in dry time
l have not the data and do not know
even that 1t exists to show at what
point gravity overcomes the pumping
power of the sun to draw moisture
from the soil, but it is at no great depth.
So long as the soil is kept stored and
pipes are not formed through which
the water can evaporate. Roughly
speaking, l should say that when
moisture has descended eight to ter
inches 1t will with any reasonable tor
mulch either from good blowing or
cultivation continue in large measure
to descend and that short of six inches
1t Will be very apt to ascend in vapor
and largely disappear, no matter how
carefully we try to retain the dust
mulch on large tracts of land.
Theoretically the dust mulch will
hold 1T perhaps also in practice so long
as no cropping interferes with cult,
walton, but for practical results it is
extremely desirable to get the mois.
ture down as far as possible from the
suns attraction, which raises it to the
surface TO be carried away by winds
and evaporation in an atmosphere
which will with us almost always alb
sorb moisture.
This same moisture when it has de
scended to depth of eight to twelve
inches lies as a poultice on the sub
soil and softens it and descends vet
deeper where in its original state the
subsoil was quite incapable of absorb
ing it in the small quantities which
lay on 1t for only a short time and
mus we get penetration of moisture
to five, six or more feet, and have ac.
complished something permanent
quite different from merely wettipg
five or six inches of top soil by light
blowing.
1t is true that crops will use the
but it's effects on the subsoil
Will remain, for it has become absorb, /
ent to future rains and SHOWS.