The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1916-12-01
SOIL PREPARATION
! MOST IMPORTANT
All Types OF Soil May Be Made
Equally Productive.
WETLANDs MUST BE DRAINED


been prepared by G. H. Afford. State
Agent, College Park, Md. Mr.. Afford
says in part:
Soils differ widely in composition
and condition. A soil composed large
: ly Of pulverized limestone, is called
mari, calcareous, or lime soil; of
sandstone, sandy soil; of alumina, a
clay soil; of partially decomposed vege-
table matter, such as we find in swamps
and marshes, a peaty, mucky soil. All
of these soils may be equally product
i've IL they are in the proper mechani-
cal condition and contain sufficient
amount of the elements of plant food
required in plant growth. The soil
has two distinct functions to perform
in the growing Of crops; first, it fur
nishes a home for the plant; second,
it furnishes the crop plant food. When
we improve the physical condition OF
the soil, we make a better home for
plants. When we add to the soil, we
jpcyease the supply of plant food. One
81 may be in an excellent physical
condition, but contain very little plant
food Another soil may contain an
abundance of plant food, but the physi-
cal condition may make it totally I'M
fit for growing plants.
Drainage is needed on fields and on
every part of field where water
stands for some time after a rain,
when water oozes to the surface max
ing seepy spots and on land where
water stands in post hole within
several feet of the surface during the
growing season. On land that is well
drained, the crops are better able to
endure long drought than on I'M
drained land. This is because the wa
ter in the undrained land shuts out
the air and the roots go only as deep
into the soil as the air penetrates
freely. On undrained land, the roots
of growing plants spread out near the
surface and when the soil dries out
during the hot summer, the crop
fires" or burns up before maturity.
Poorly drained soil cannot be pre-
pared early in the spring and 1t is al
most impossible to properly prepare
it at any time for the reason that
large quantities Of water evaporating
from the surface of the soil makes 1t
compact and solid. The evaporation Of
the water in the early part of the
growing season keeps the soil cold
regardless of the temperature Of the
air, thereby retarding the growth of
plants. Furthermore, helpful germs
cannot live in undrained soil and
change vegetable matter into avail
able plant food, because the water
excludes the air from the soil.
We should deepen our soils for the
reasons: First, to increase its water
holding capacity; second, to let the
water escape from the surface without
running over the ground and washing
1t of; third, to permit the air to circu-
late freely for a considerable depth;
fourth, to secure crops against drought
by enabling the roots to go down to-
perpetual moisture; fifth, to increase
the area from which plant roots may
obtain food.
The soil must be well drained and
thoroughly pulverized for a consider
ahH depth and in addition it must be-
futof humus in order to produce max
7dtfm crops. Fire is one of our worst
enemies because we burn the corn
stalks, grass and trash on the land
that is needed to properly prepare the
soil for growing crops. The humus
increases the water holding capacity
of the soil several times and puts it
in loose open porus condition so
that air, water, and plant roots can
easily come into contact with every
grain of IT, The humus also prevents
the soil from packing after heavy rains
and furnishes food for the bacteria
or microscopic life that makes the
plant food available for plants. 1t
matters not how much plant food the
soil may contain, 1t will not yield max
imum crops unless bacteria are pres
ent to make the plant food available
for crops. The number of bacteria
in the soil closely follows the amount
OF humus in 1t.
It is generally advisable to break
the land in the fall and winter for the
following reasons: First, we are not
as busy in the late fall and winter as
we are in the spring; second, the vege-
table matter is turned under to decay;
third, insoluble plant food is brought
to the surface where the frost and air
can change it into soluble plant food;
fourth, the soil is rough and loose SO
that 1t will drink IN the rain that falls.
When broken in the fall and winter.
we can use the better styles OF
two and three horse turning plows OF
disc plows. The gasoline engine trac-
ton pillow will do more and probably
better work, but, the average small
farmer cannot AFFORD to own one.
sRNhen we are unable to break our
NJ during the fall and winter, we
Should break 1t early in the spring
Tor the following reasons: First, to
IA ~