The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-02-17
HOLD SPRING MOISTURE
Question OF Vital Importance to
Farmers in Dry Areas.
Anything That Can BE Done 10 Pre-,
vent Loss Ought to Be Done
Local Conditions Largely
Determine the Method.

Wy iNpI FsCSoh li'NiNS Y -
The question of holding spring
moisture is one of vital importance to
those who farm In dry areas. Every
particle OF moisture that is lost from
the soil at that season Is lost so far
Mt the expense OF the crop. Anything
that can be done. therefore, to prevent
such loss ought to be done. providing
It does not involve too much loss.
What can be done to effect this end?
The answer TO this question will de.
pend upon many conditions.
II the ground has been plowcd In
the autumn. on very many western
soils. minute assures will be notice.
able on the surface as Don as the
ground begins to dry out. These ifs.
sures are in some instances quite
large. and the openings penetrate the
soil more deeply. Into these assures
the air ponctrates as they are formed.
II is dricr and warmer than the soil.
and because OF this Il aids In the re,
moval OF moisture. The process OF
moisture removal Is further fastened
by the climbing up OF the subsoil mois.
ture from below. How shall this re.
moval OF moisture be lcssened?
II may be lessened by any method
OF stirring the surface soil that Will
remove the cracks or assures on and
nea the surface. The harrow is the
most efficient implement TO accom-
plish this purpose. But when the
ground Is somewhat impacted. II may
be wise 10 use the disk first and to
follow the same with the harrow. In
yet other instances the plan may be
good which ows seed first by drilling
1t in and then running the harrow
across the drill marks to stir the
whole surface OF the soil. This
may be done sometimes with advan.
tnge, as when spring wheat Is sown,
as his Is a kind OF grain that may he
sown quite early. Such sowing before
narrowing car only lie done with al.
vantage on comparatively smooth sur,
faces, as on those that have been har,
rowed the previous autumn. One dis
advantage, OF course. follows such har.
rowing. namely. that II does not hold
the snow so well as ground that IL
left rougher. When thus treated the
escape OF moisture Is, in a great meas
ure, prevented from the opening OF
spring, The effect upon crop rroduc.
ton will. In most instances. be quite
material.
Though such autumn plowcd lands
are not planted until late, az in the
case OF corn or beans. such stirring Of
the surface soil as soon as II can be
done is Of great importance. II checks
the escape OF moisture. and the har'
rowing OF the soil subsequently once
or twice before these crops are plant.
ed, o only aids In preventing the es'
cape OF moisture. but It may mate.
rally aid also in the destruction OF
weeds that may terminate near the
surface in the interval between the
opening OF sTring and the sowing OF
the seed.
In the case OF stubblc, the treatment
called for will depend upon the use
that Is "a be made OF The land. and on
the condition OF the land. Should thu
land he OF that nature that calls for
the aid OF the harrow 10 close the ts
sures, II will pay TO defer the planting
of the land or the blowing of II
IA the case may be, unit; the land
has been first narrowed or diskcd
II the land Is TO be drilled I'm with
some kind OF grain, as wheat. II will
usually pay TO defer the drilling OF
the wheat until the land is gone Over
with the harrow, Such drilling without
blowing Is sometimes In order. as In
the case OF drilling spring wheat into
flax ground that has been broken from
sod the previous spring. Should the
stubbie land be wanted for some such
crop as fodder corn, II would probably
pay TO first disk the stubble In the
early spring. TO plow II a little later
and 10 pack II with n disk or subsur
acc packer after II is plowed.
Land that Is broken in tha early
spring and that is TO be devoted q
the growing OF crop the same season
should, OF course, be compressed rs
soon as IL IL broken with some kind
OF a packer. II should then be har
rowed at once and the crop should be
planted in season. On such land. the
packing and narrowing cannot be-
given too Don after the blowing. pro
viding the plowing Ia not done at
time before the land has become SUN
ciently dry to he plowed In season.
II Is, OF course, true that some soils
do not thus form assures In the early
spring. This Is true OF sandy soils
These may call for a different kind NJ
treatment. Narrowing them thus early
may aid In their blowing. Much judg
ment is called for in all the operations
OF the farm.