The Raymer enterprise., 1914-01-15
FIGHTING ANY DROUTH
Dust Mulch Becoming Chief
Agent in Insuring Crops.
Lack Of knowledge Among Farmers 10
Cause Of Many Heartrendins Fail
ures With Trees-Moisture
Must Be Conserved,

! believe that in a state like that
OF North Dakota the dust mulch will
become the chief agent for insuring
to the farmer and gardener as sure
a crop as any system OF irrigation.
The time has not yet come when the
average farmer knows just what the
dust mulch is. and, consequently.
knows nothing of its use Only last
July had this very forcibly brought
home to me when. on a hot, dry day
friend Of mine happened to remark
that II was getting SO dry that his
boys would not cultivate his corn for
fear II might dry out. took the
opportunity to tell him OF my con-
yictions In the matter, also to show
him my own garden. consisting chief
~ OF tomatoes, corn and potatoes,
writes o. c. Westley OF North Dakota
In the Northwest Farmstead. This
garden | kept well cultivated. not
giving weeds chance to sprout be-
fore | stirred the soil with rake
or hoe. showed him. too, some 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
no fool. but he was simply ignorant
OF the mission Of the dust mulch.
When setting out my tomatoes last
spring ! gave my neighbor some of
my plants. He set them and they
grew. But on came the dry summer.
This neighbor had had hand cart
into which he set barrel and 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-
til | had TO get prong hoe. with
which went to the depth OF 5 to &
inches. While gave away several
gallons, canned and ate all we wanted,
and sold almost as much, my neighbor
had scarcely a tomato.
What Is really the chief cause for
heartrending failures with trees
among the so-ealled intelligent farm
ers? Is II not merely lack of knowl-
edge? II seems to 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. and 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 hard time to generate, and 1t
stands TO reason that such soils are
benefited by deep cultivation. The
very fact that soil is hard indicates
a lack OF moisture.
Take a sugar loaf and dip ii into
colored water. noting how quickly it
is saturated. showing the capillarity
OF pressed together article. A lump
of hard dirt might be used instead
OF the sugar, only the sugar shows
II better, Put on top OF this sugar
loaf little powdered sugar and note
how much longer 1t takes the mois-
ture to work up through 1t. You
might understand this, but the aver
age tillers OF the soil do not.
We cultivate corn 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 good weeder This
will break up the cracks and pores
and give to the whole surface that
vital dust mulch. How would you be
able to cover field OF 3o1 or 400
acres with straw. peat or manure
mulch? 1t would be an impossible
task for want Of help. to say nothing
OF its uselessness. when with a good.
wide weeder and two horses you can
do the same thing practically In four
or five days.
With all the saturation of soils
through good. ordinary spring.
coupled with iudicious use of the
dust mulch, | believe North Dakota
or any other state may defy any
drouth.