Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1914-05-08

"oil moisture is very largely checked
"iieh II reaches loose dry LAYER
therefore the best agrieluturists make
practice of developing a mulch of
three or four inches depth of loose soil
on the surface. Since the rise and es.
cape OF moisture is very rapid in the
early spring where the surface is firm
1t IS necessary to work up this mulch
as soon as the soil is fit to work. This
leads to the practice of discing in early
spring all lands that are to be late
spring or summer plowed.
In handling a large tract of summer
tallow much is gained in the end by
dlsclng the entire tract to hold the
moisture before touching it with a
pillow. Summer fallow land is disllod
IN early spring will pillow up moist aud
mellow late in the summer. 1t takes
less horse flesh to do the blowing and
We soil may be gotten into better CON
ditlon with much less work. In disk
ing to develop mulch it must be borne
N mind that to form an effective mulcL
Tie surface must be broker W cor
p'etely. \ common disc harrow SET
nearly straight cutting little grooves
IN the firm surface, leaving two-thirds
OF the surface unbroken, is of little
benefit. Some form of disc hung ON
wheels so that the disc may be set TO
cut shallow, and the discs at the same
tune set at sufficient angle to cut the
surface over completely is desirable. If
the SolI disks up somewhat chunky. 4
smoothing harrow should follow the
disc. In the case Of fall blowing land
Tor late spring crops, the same prin-
clple should be observed by WORKING
up loose mulch in early spring with
a smoothing harrow.
Another opportunity for great i'm
rroyement is in working the furrow
down close after the pillow in all spring
and summer blowing. The furrow
should be brought firmly down upon
the unbroken soil beneath, shutting out
the large air spaces, packing the soil
firmly around the straw and stubblc,
establishing capillary connection with
the soil moisture reservoir below and
preventing the drying out of the seed
bed. This result may best be brought
about with some form of subsurface
packer This is particularly important
IN the drier part Of the wheat belt.
Where the soil is heavier and the ram
fall greater the use of some form of
harrow following close after the plow
will give very successful results. What
ever tool may be used, the essential
point is to work down the furrow at
once.
a further opportunity for vast i'm
proyement is in the subsequent care
OF the fallow. A heavy crop of weeds
will use up just as much moisture and
plant food as a heavy crop Of any other
kind, and if the moisture and fertility
Of the soil are to be conserved for our
valuable crops the soil must be kept
absolutely clean. Where there is dan
ser of making the soil too fine, causing
it % run together in winter and wash
and bake badly in the spring, if a
smoothing harrow is used enough to
keep the soil clean, the difficulty may
b. quite largely overcome by the use
of some form Of knife Weeder With
this type of tool the weeds may be de-
stroyed completely with the least
amount of horse flesh and the least
amount of pulverizatIon of the surface
soil. The knives will cut under the
surface, allowing no weeds to escape,
but causing the soil to slide over the
top of the knife with the minimum of
pulverizing, leaving it perfectly loose
and forming an ideal mulch.
Tu summarize: First, keep up the
supply of soil humus by working in as
much straw and stubble as possible.
Second, disk the stubble land between
harvest and winter to work in stubble
and encourage the termination of weed
seeds. and to loosen the surface of the