The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1914-03-12
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.

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
cessful in session of severe drought |
This knowledge OF the general sub.
ject 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 a
Kansas writer in the Farm Progress.
II is now universally known that the
soil with the surface kept loose and
well stirred. retains moisture far more
successfully than where It is packed
solid by the beating of rains or other
cause. II anyone has never had
demonstration of how the moisture
escapes from the earth by evaporation
will take a strong magnifying glass
and look at the dry, hard earth. where
piece is broken off and shows a 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 OFF 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 II 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 It seems i'm
minent that there will be serious
drought, II It has not been already
done, the cultivated surfaces in all
crops where II can be done, ought tc
be thoroughly stirred. but not to @
greater depth than two or three
inches And It should be turned over
as little as possible.
That is the top surface, already
moderately dried out. should remair
/ on top to keep the moisture in the lay
er below 1t as 1t is. as long as possi
BILE. This is a simple thing to do; bu
/ II has been found to save crops tha
would otherwise have been dried vi
entirely without this precaution.
This method of conserving moisture
| which constitutes the basic principle
! OF profitable farming In the semi-ariC
, region, has not had as much attention
: in the humid parts OF the country
, as Il deserves. AS a rule. the farmer
who grow general crops, and besldei
, small grain and grass, raise corn. 20
, tatoes and tobacco, have never. as {
rule, seemed to be much impressed
= with any scheme to conserve mois
J ture.
: Cultivation has been done mainly Il
keep the soil loose and keep down thu
weeds and grass. But many are usini
? this method now mainly for the pur
pose Of keeping the moisture within
, reach of the plants roots And 1t 4
r often the case that crop that woul'
without the conserving OF the mois
ture, practically perish, is thus KEEP
going until abundant rainfall come
: and finally makes a fair crop.
l When any hoed crop is kept cleai
. and the soil stirred sufficiently to pre-
!. serve what moisture is needed to kee
A II in vigorous condition till rain comes
/ 1t is quite often the case that all tn
vigor OF the plant is then thrown int
{ the fruiting and the yield OF grain wi
i be more than was expected, and ia
+ more than growth of stalk seems
e justify the hope OF.