The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-04-15

Mrs. Fanny F. Andrews, of Boston
was the American delegate.
moisture, and this is especially true
of cotton. On the other hand. there
is scarcely a season when corn and
many other crops do not suffer at
some time during their growth be-
cause of lack Of moisture.
The crops require large quantities
OF water to produce maximum or
largest Yields. and it is important
that this supply Of water be fairly
constant during the growing season.
| Excessive variations are always hurt
full. too much or too little water be-
ing equally against large yields. a
soil that is too compact or one that is
lumpy or one that is too loose may
lose water so rapidly either by evapo-
ration or by teaching that the crops
may suffer. These conditions are best
prevented before planting the crop,
but a soil that is not cultivated suffl-
ciently often or that is cultivated too
deeply during the growth of the crop
may suffer unnecessary loss of mois-
ture during seasons of scant rainfall.
If the surface of the soil is left un-
even or in ridges; if the soil is culti-
waited too deeply so that the deep soil
becomes too loose and too much air
enters: or if the top soil or the sur
face becomes hard or crusted, the
losst of moisture is greatest. For
these reasons shallow cultivation is
generally believed best to prevent un-
due evaporation, Of loss of moisture
from the soil into the air. But under
good soil conditions: that is, in good,
deep soil, finely pulverized but not too
loose, rather deeper cultivation than
is generally supposed, best prevents
loss of moisture by evaporation. King
found that cultivation three inches
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in this way, but on most soils cultl-
waiting a crop three inches deep would
result in too great root injury. be-
cause many soils are broken only a
little deeper than this. 1t. therefore,
again becomes a choice of the lesser
of two evils. and probably the culti-
walton which best saves moisture
without too great root injury is from
one and one-half to two inches deep.
Why does this shallow cultivation
and maintaining level surface pre-
vent loss of moisture by evaporation?
There are two reasons why high
beds or ridges dry out more than
when the land is level. The ridges
expose a larger surface or a larger
amount of soil to the air and sun and
the thin>or narrow ridges also dry
out more completely because the
earth is thrown up. Shallow cultiva-
ton conserves moisture better be-
cause the water cannot pass through
a loose covering of earth. 1t is neces-
sary for the soil where the roots are
located to have certain degree OF
compactness in order for water to
come up from below to feed the
plants during dry weather. This wa
ter is brought up by the heat of the
sun as oil is raised in the lampwick.
If the soil be moderately compact and
yet finely pulverized this water rises
from the subsoil to the surface. II
the surface has a hard or compact
crust it finds the best conditions for
escape into the air, but if there is a
loose mulch of dry earth on top the
water cannot so easily pass through
it because of the spaces between the
soil particles, and is held in the soil
beneath for the use of the plant roots.
If this earth mulch. or dust mulch, as
it is sometimes called, is maintained
about two inches thick by frequent
shallow cultivation little injury is
done to the roots in dry weather and
a large quantity of water is saved for
the plants.
The prejudice against late cultiva-
ton is due to deep cultivation at that
time. The maturing crops need large
quantities of water and it is plain
that if cultivation at that time saves
moisture it is as beneficial as at any
other time. provided the roots are not
seriously injured.-Progressive Far
mer.