The Ordway new era., 1914-02-13
HOLD SOIL MOISTURE
Stir Surface and Prevent Pack
ing to Accomplish Purpose.
Universally Known That Loose Soil
Well Stirred, Retains Water Far
More Successfully Than When
Packed by Rains.

Every year there is some addition
made to the sum total of the expert
ence that farmers over the country
have had in the matter of treating
corn in the way that is the most sue
cessfuI in a session of severe drought.
This knowledge of the general sub
1ect Of cultivating crops In seasons OF
drought prompts up-to-date farmers
to keep the surface Of the soil con-
stantly stirred up and loose. as long
As the weather continues dry, says .
Kansas writer In the Farm Progress.
1t Is now universally known that the
soil with the surface kept loose and
well stirred. retains moisture far more
successfully than where 1t is packed
solid by the beating Of rains or other
cause. II anyone has never had
a demonstration of how the moisture
escapes from the earth by evaporation
and look at the dry. hard earth. where
a piece is broken of and shows fresh
surface. he will see the fine. little
"capillaries." or tubes. through which
the water escapes from the earth to
the air. when the earth Is drying rap
idly.
So long as the capillaries are open
from where they start at varying
depths down In the soil up to
the surface, the moisture will continue
to pass up through and escape. But
II the surface is broken up In any
way. say by plowing or narrowing. and
all the capillaries are broken on the
moisture that starts from below will
be stopped near the surface where
the capillaries are broken of.
This is the simple explanation of the
earth mulch" which Is universally
known as a conservator Of moisture.
And it explains why the hard-packed
surface are always the dryest.
When rainfall is abundant. no spe-
cial care need be taken to conserve
the moisture In the soil for the use Of
the crops: but as soon as 1t seems i'm
drought, IL 1t has not been already
done. the cultivated surfaces In all
crops where 1t can be done. ought to
be thoroughly stirred. but not to
greater depth than two or three
inches. And 1t should be turned over
as little as possible.
That Is the top surface. already
moderately dried out, should remain
on top to keep the moisture In the lay
er below it as 1t Is. as long as possi-
BILE. This Is a simple thing to do; but
It has been found to save crops that
would otherwise have been dried up
entirely without this precaution.
This method of conserving moisture.
which constitutes the basic principle
Of profitable farming In the semi-arid
region, has not had as much attention
In the humid parts of the country
as it deserves. As a rule. the farmers
who grow general crops. and besides
small grain and grass. raise corn. po-
tatoes and tobacco. have never. as
rule, seemed to be much impressed
with any scheme to conserve mois-
ture
Cultivation has been done mainly to
keep the soil loose and keep down the
weeds and grass. But many are using
this method now mainly for the pur.
pose OF keeping the moisture within
reach OF the plants roots. And 1t Is
often the case that a crop that would
without the conserving Of the mois-
ture, practically perish. is thus kept
going until abundant rainfall comes
and finally makes a fair crop.
When any hoed crop is kept clean
and the soil stirred sufficiently to pre-
serve what moisture is needed to keep
1t in vigorous condition till rain comes
1t is quite often the case that all the
vigor OF the plant is then thrown into
the fruiting and the yield of grain will
be more than was expected. and far
more than growth of stalk seems to
Justify the hope Of.