The Glasgow courier., 1915-08-27
FLOWING SMALL
GRAIN STUBRLE
Fall Flowing Favors Weeds Starting
With Grain-Spring Flowing Kills
Weeds-Moisture Conditions Par
amount When Considering Time
to PlOw.

amount When Considering Time
to Plow.
Washington, D. c., August 25th.-l
The average yields of spring crops,
such as wheat, oats and corn in the
Great Plains area, from spring and
from fall plowing, show that the blind
following of rule prescribing any
particular time of plowing might
cause reduction as often as it does
an increase in the yields. However,
in this region where the precipitation
is erratic, there are very few farm
ing operations which can be done sue
cessfully by rule of thumb, and this
is especially true of any rule for
time, depth and method of plowing.
The time of plowing is one of the
most frequently discussed subjects,
and one on which very few author
itative lgures ca nbe obtained. Yet
the time of plowing is one Of the most
important of the controllable factors
IN crop prOducClOn.
The great variation in the time and
amount of precipitation in this region
must be constantly kept in mind, when
considering the time of blowing. No
dependence can be placed on heavy
precipitation in August and Septem-
ber, yet it frequently occurs. AS
moisture is considered the most i'm
portant factor in crop production ir
the Great Plains area, it's conserva-
tion is the primary object in cultiva-
tion. By many who have had little or
no experience in actual farming in
the semi-arid regions of the West, an
nual plowing is considered as the most
necessary of the cultural operations,
| but this is not substantiated either by
the experience of many successful far
mers, or by the records from expert
mental work. The smooth, deeply
plowed, well-harrowed surface looks
we'll, and gives the impression Of
carefully conducted farm operations
but may prove detrimental to crop
production. The smooth, finely pull.
verized surface is readily subject to
blowing, and the loose, unparked seed
bed may be quickly dried by the rath-
er free circulation of air through it.
Stubble left on a field may give it an
unkempt appearance, but at the same
time it may be of value in catching
snow or in preventing soil from blew
ing.
Stubble, weeds and uneven ground
are common means of retaining snow
and holding large part of the winter
precipitation. In deciding when a
field should be plowed, the question
of whether a greater amount of mois-
ture will be accumulated by holding
the snow that falls than will be dis
sipated by the growth of weeds is
paramount. It must be decided by
the man on the ground. In answer
ing 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 it
the stubble and weeds are removed,
and the distribution of farm labor.
The Importance of these factors is
considered in the new United States
Department of Agriculture Bulletin
No. 253, The Effect of Different Times
of Flowing Small-grain Stubble in
Eastern Colorado. The major por-
ton of the bulletin is given to des-
cription of the time of plowing for
spring wheat, but is as applicable to
oats and corn. The experiments were
performed at Akron, (Colorado) field
station, but the deductions are general
and useful throughout the entire
Great Plains area. The experiments
extend over a period of six years
from 1909 to 1914, inclusive, and dur
ing those years the fiuctuation IN
rainfall was as great as would be ex-
pected through any like period.
It was found that there was 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 . growth Of weeds, which usual
~ exhaust tho valuable moisture sup
ply. The loss Of moisture which hal
penetrated to a greater depth than
inches, after the weeds are dead II
the fall and before growth starts il
the spring, is almost negligible
Either from land fall plowed or from
that covered with stubble, light pre-