Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-09-25
Factors That Must
Determine the Time
for Fall Flowing
Amount of Moisture in Soil and
Action of Weeds Are Par
amount Figures.

Stubble, weeds and uneven ground
are common means of retaining snow
and holding large part of the winter
precipitation. In deciding when a
lield should be plowed, the question of
whether a greater amount of mois-
tare will be accumulated by holding
the snow that falls than will be dissi-
pated by the growth of weeds is para
mount. 1t must be decided by the
man on the ground. In answering
this question several factors must be
considered, namely, the amount of
moisture already in the soil that may
be lost through weed growth, the
probable time before the weeds will
be killed by frost, the possibilities of
increasing the water in storage in the
soil by holding the snow that may
come, the danger of soil blowing If
the stubble and weeds are removed
and the distribution of farm labor
The Importance of these factors is
considered in department bulletin No
25S, "The Effect of Different Times of
Flowing Small-Grain Stubble in East
ern Colorado" The major portion OF
the bulletin is given to a description
OF the time of plowing for spring
wheat, but is as applicable to oats
and corn. The experiments were per-
formed at Akron, Colo, field station,
but ths deductions are general.
1t was found that there was a wider
variation in the precipitation of the
fall and winter, when the moisture
should be stored, than during the
growing months Rains in August
and early September invariably pro-
duce a growth of weeds which usu
ally exhaust the valuable moisture
supply The loss of moisture which
has penetrated to a greater depth
than three inches, after the weeds are
dead in the fall and before growth
starts in the spring, Is almost neglig
ible, Either from land rali-plowed or
from that covered with stubble light
precipitation eVaporates, unless IL
falls as snow, which is blown into
drifts until a considerable quantity
has accumulated. AS ten incnes OF
light snow are equivalent to only one
inch of rain, and one inch OF rain
penetrates the soil to depth of Six
inches, it will be readily seen that
SHOWS of one to two inches supply
very small amount of moisture, n
greater part of which will be lost by
evaporation. Every effort should he
made, therefore, to conserve the mois-
is on the land or while the land is
lying idle.
Darly fall rains will be used by
weeds unless the land Is cultivated.
Heavy winter SHOWS may occur. hut
they are likely to blow off the fields
unless there Is either stubble or an
uneven surface TO hold them. The
time and method of cultivation, then,
should be planned to prevent weed
growth and still leave the soil or
stubble in such a condition that It
will hold the maximum snow. How
ever, the period when labor is aVaila-
Bile will also be an important factor
in determining the time of ploWing.
When labor is scarce, cultivation
other than plowing, which will kill
weeds and can be done rapidly, may
be resorted to. If this cultivation
leaves the stubble ON the surface or
leaves the surface rough enough to
hold the snow. it may be of even
greater value thah plowing. DisSing
or listing in the fall are the methods
most commonly used.
The amount of moisture in the
ground in the spring Is only one Of
the factors in producing grain crops.
Weeds growing with the crop may
use enough water to decrease the
grain yield. 1t was found that fall
plowing at the Akron station is espe-
cially favorable to weeds starting
with the grain. Flowing in the
spring, however, thoroughly eimi-
mates the weeds, and if done imme-
diately before seeding gives the grain
crop a start before the weeds com
mence to grow. The ideal cultivation
would prevent weed growth in the
fall, leave the land I'm such condl-
lion as to retain the maximum snow
in the winter, and retard the germi-
nation ofssweed seed until the crop
starts in the spring
Possibly this may be accomplished
by dislSing in the fall and blowing in
the spring, or listing In the fall and
bursting the ridges in the spring may
DE more practicable. Early fall plow-
ing is eifeetiye in that it destroys
weeds which use the early fall pre-
cipitation, but it does not leave the
land in condition to retain the
snow in the winter, and il gives the
weeds an opportunity to start before
the crop.
In deciding the time to plow. advan-
tages and disadvantages OF both
spring plowing and fall plowing must
be taken into consideration. Heavy
rains in August indicate that fall
plowing should be done as the gain
of moisture during the winter by the
stubble land probably would not
equal the loss of moisture taken by
the weeds in the, fall. If only light
rains occur, however, the moisture In
the soil produced by these rains
probably would be more than offset
by the greater quantity Of snow held
by the stubble during the winter, and
the reduction of the weeds I'm the
crop. Spring plowing would then be
better. The availability OF labor In
the fall will influence the amount of
blowing done, but greater effort
should be made to do the plowing il
there Is heavy precipitation than if
the rainfall is light. The only ad-
vantage In late fall blowing Is that
tlaetamount Of spring labor IN prepar
ing the seed bed Is reduced This
advantage, however may be offset
by reduction in the yield.
In deciding when field should be
plowed the question of whether a
greater amount OF water will be ac-
cumlated from snow than will be
taken up by the weeds la the greatest
question to be decided, and this also
must be done by the man on the
ground.
Select the Seed Corn Now
Seed corn for next springs use
u. s,,1a l,a ol,toinad within the next /