The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1914-01-14
FIGHTING ANY DROUTH
Dust Mulch Becoming Chief
Agent in lnsuring Crops.
Lack OF knowledge Among Farmers 10
Cause Of Many Hesrtrendins Fall
ures with Trees-Molsture
Must BE Conserved.

! OeilcNe tnat IN q state like that
Of North Dakota tho dust mulch will
become the chief agent for insuring
To the farmer and gardener as sure
a crop as any system of irrigation.
Tho time has not yet come when the
average farmer knows just what the
dust mulch In. and. consequently,
knows nothing OF its use. Only last
July ! had this very forcibly brought
home to me when, on "A hot. dry day
a friend OF mine happened To remark
that II was getting 80 dry that his
boys would not cultivate his corn for
fear II might dry OUT. took tho
opportunity to tell him OF my con
v~ictions in the matter, also to show
him my garden, consisting chief.
~ OF tomatoes. corn and potatoes,
writes q. G. Wesley OF North Dakota
In the Northwest FAT instead This
garden | kept well cultivated, not
giving weeds "a chance 10 sprout be-
fore ! stirred the soil with "a rake
or hoe. showed him. too, ON lit
tie spots IN some portions where the
hoe or rake had not yet been after "a
little sprinkle. called the attention
to the cracks and told him of the
pores and the work of capillarity un'
I'll he was so convinced that he
stepped into my house. called up his
/ home. and ordered the boys out with
the cultiyator at once This man Is
NJ fool, but he Vas simply ignorant
OF the mission OF the dust mulch.
When setting out my tomatoes last
spring ! gave my %neighbor some or
my plants. lie set them and they
grew. Hut on came the dry summer.
This nelghbor had had "a hand cart
into which he set n barrel aud hauled
water from my well with which he
watered his plants. | never watered
mine. AS the drouth increased In
creased the depth Of the mulch, un'
I'll ! had to get Il prong hoe, with
which | wen To the depth OF . TO u
inches. While ! gave away several
gallons, canned and ate all va wanted,
and sold almost as much, my neighbOr
had scarcely a tomato.
What IL really the chief cause for
heartrending failures with trees
among the so.callcd intelligent farm
crs? Is II not merely a lack OF knovl'
edge? II seems 10 me the matter
should be made clear to all readers OF
all the blessed farm papers OF today
that the dust mulch Is "A means for
conserving the moisture already In the
ground. aud also for increasing the
capacity of the soil for receiving
moisture when II rains. II the ground
Is naturally hard the roots OF plants
have a hard time to generate. and II
stands To reason that such soils are
benefited by deep cultivation. The
very fact that n soil Ii hard indicates
a lack OF moisture.
Take n sugar loaf and dip II into
colorod water, noting how quickly II
Is saturated, showing the capillarity
OF a pressed together article. 4 lump
OF hard dirt might be used instead
of the sugar. only the sugar shows
IL better. Put on top of this sugar
loaf a little powdered sugar and note
how much longer II takes The mois.
ture to work up through II, You
might understand this. but the aver
axe llll'Ib W lHf Sbll uO Uo's
We cultivate corr and potatoes, why
not wheat? Not In the same way, OF
course. but the drag should be used
at least once a week on all grain,
crops until they are too high To be
benefited, or. rather, until tall enough
to be injured by a good wceder. This
will break up the cracks and pores
and give to the whole surface that
vital dust mulch. How would you be
able To a field OF 800 or 400
acres with IA straw, peat or manure
mulch? II would be an impossible
task for want OF help, TO say nothing
OF It's uselessness. when with a good,
wide weeder and two horses you can
do the same thing practically In four
or Ave days.
With all the saturation OF soils
through a good, ordinary spring,
coupled with n judicious use of the
dust mulch. | believe North Dakota
or any other state may defy any
drouth.