Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1913-10-10

Top boards Will soon show dampness
and finally become rotted. After
having carried on extensive experi-
ments, both in dry sections where
dry land methods of tillage are
necessary, and in territories where
the annual rainfall is abundant. but
where there are occasional drouths.
| am fully convinced that the type of
subsoil pillow have mentioned solves
the problem of storing water and
also solves the problem of making
hard pans and compact pillow soles
permeable to plant roots.
While we are storing water in the
deeper subsoils, we must not lose
sight of the fact that such water is
absolutely useless unless we make
provision to have it utilized. When
we turn the furrow slice we natur
ally turn under Jumps, stubble, trash
and sometimes coarse manures. We
all know that capillary water is
stopped if large air spaces exist and
We also know that Jumps, trash. etc.
are the causes of air spaces hence.
III order to obyiate what too often
has proven to be a calamity
III semi-arid sections. the surface
should be thoroughly disced before
it is plowed. This implement not
only pulverizes Jumps, but it cuts up
and works into the ground trash so
that when the pillow turns the earth
the contact between the bottom of
the furrow and the turned portion is
compact. If the disc harrow is sub
sequently used the entire seed bed
Is then put in a condition which is
ideal both to stimulate the growth
of roots and facilitate the movement
of capillary water.
| am venturing no guess, nor am |
advocating a theory when | say that
if the farmer will follow the turning
pillow with the right type of subsoil
pillow and will use the disc harrow
before and after blowing, he will
have taken out an insurance policy
against total loss under the most
adverse rainfall condition and is
reasonably sure of a bountiful crop
il the rainfall is at all adequate.
In semi-arid sections the broiling
sun and hot winds will soon exhaust
the moisture from the soil unless in
tensive methods are pursued to con-
serve it. The best means and prac-
tically the only feasible method is to
form a mulch blanket which very eff
fectually prevents the escape of
moisture. This mulch must be re-
newed from time to time whether
rain falls or not. The mulch prevents
the escape Of moisture through the
process of capillary attraction be-
cause of the fact that the close prox-
unity of the soil particles have been
disturbed. In the event of rain the
soil becomes compact and it is neces-
sary to form a new mulch. After a
mulch has been formed for a short
period even without rain, the par
ticles of soil adjust themselves and
capillary attraction will enste, hence
it is very necessary to stir the sur
face soil from time to time whether
it rains or not.
In sections where there is little
liability of rain, a fine dust mulch
serves best, but where rains are liza
BILE to occur, the mulch should be
more of a granular nature for the
reason that fine dust will not read
lily absorb moisture, but a granular
one will.
A mulch can be formed on soil
where grains are growing by using
the corrugated roller or a peg-tooth
harrow. If the land is very hard,
the peg tooth harrow gives the best
results. If, however, it is loose, the
corrugated roller not only forms a
mulch, but packs the loose soil
around the roots of the plant. With
corn, cotton, peanuts and other hoed
crops, mulch can be formed with
a one-harse harrow or by dragging
some rough weight like wheel over
the surface.
The character of the soil has
much to do with it's ability to absorb
and retain moisture. For instance,
a hundred pounds of clear sand is
able to absorb and retain 20 pounds
of water, sandy loan 40 pounds
clear loan so pounds, rich garden
soil So pounds, and peaty soil 175
pounds. 1t is very evident, there
fore, that the absorbing ability Of
soil depends largely upon the
amount of humus or organic matter
it contains.
Fertility
Plants secure their food from the
soil and atmosphere. Each particle
of dioiptaUrafad rock (tha substance