The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1915-04-16
Fallow to Get Moisture

the ulllb lnLO IhO uidWSb AOd'Ahb poiS
many fields that needed moisture
badly. Only on a field here and
there the snow was caught in a trap
and held until 1t melted and sat
urated the ground with the needed
moisture.
On fields of the state agricultural
experiment station at Hays, Kansas,
there were many such snow traps
set, where wheat was grown last
year. The ground had been thrown
up with lister in ridges or burrows
nine inches deep. These burrows filled
to the brim with snow and held it.
The fields where Kafir, milo maize
and feterita had been cut off were
also snow traps. The stumps of the
stalks caught and held the snow and
the wind could not cheat the ground
of its moisture. In one field where
milo maize was grown last summer
there was but little fodder to it. So
the grain was saved by means of a
header and the stalks standing In
this field. which was on one of the
highest ridges, the snow was caught
and held two feet deep, which will
put that land in fine shape for a
spring crop.
Besides these methods of saving
moisture, tree windbreaks are very
effective. George X. Helder, who
has charge of the experiment farm
of 1900 acres, has paid much atten-
ton to protection by lines of trees.
Usage orange, honey locust, green
ash, Chinese arbor vitae, red cedar
and Russian mulberry are used. The
trees are set in rows, mixing them by
alternating rows of the different va
rieties, and are cultivated just like
a crop. In this way fine start has
been obtained where otherwise the
trees would have died from lack of
moisture.
The experiment station has worked
out the misunderstanding method in
developing fallow system of farm
ing. Moisture is stored in the soil
one season for use the next and has
proved profitable.
Aside from the buffalo grass pas
lures, alfalfa meadows, orchards and
special experiment plots, the expert
ment farm is divided into three sets
of fields for a rotation. This rota-
ton consists Of grain and fodder
sorghums one season, fallow land
the next and wheat the next.
The one aim for the season follow
ing the sorghum crop is to store wa
ter. The land lies in rough burrows
during the spring rains and its un-
even condition causes all the water
to sink in and not run off. When the
soil shows signs of dl ying out dix
or spring tooth harrow or cultivator
Is run over 1t to make kind of
rough clod mulch. This also keeps
down the weeds, which are great
water MASTERS, in the fallow season.
But the top of the ground is not left
smooth by any means. That would
let the rains run off and allow the
soil to blow. 1t is not dust mullen
that is wanted.
When the wheat Is sown IN the
fall the seed bed should have mols-
tnre enough to sprout the seed at
once and induce good root growth.
Strips Of straw or manure scattered
on the wheat field in the winter pre-
vent blowing of the soil and help
catch snow.
Last year the experiment station
wheat yield was no better than that
of farmers nearby who did not fall
low their land, because there was
abundant moisture for all. But in
the year when there was shortage
of moisture the fallow system looms
big, and that is about eight out Of
ten years, according to Mr.. Helder.
Sudan grass is the great new crop
of this station, and Mr.. Helder be-
lieves it is the only practical tame
pasture crop for that section. 1t will
be relied on chiefly for hay this year
at the experiment farm. Last year
they cut three and one-half tons of
hay an acre from the first crop of
Sudan grass and one and one-fourth
tons from the second crop, and then
pastured it. A small patch of four
and one-half acres was cut for seed
and yielded 900 pounds.
The Sudan grass was drilled in
rows twenty-four inches apart and
was cultivated twice. 1t was planted
the middle of May.
A great new soiling crop for that
locality is the winter pea. 1t is used
to pillow under in the early summer.