Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-01-19
III. SOIL VILLAGE.

By De, F. Hungerford. Assistant Az. ronomist, College of Agriculture. University of Arkansas.
 ! By constant observation ana eXper. 1mentation farmers have learned that certain practices are necessary for the production of high yields.
 Preparation of a Good Seed Bed: Among those practices of foremost importance is the preparation of d good seed bed. The little roots Of the young seedlings are too tender to force their way very far into hard ground In search of food. If com, pelled to do so, the amount of soil rom which they can draw food and moisture is necessarily limited and consequently the plant is likely to be stunted.
 A good seed bed is deep, but not too loose. Land broken in the fall and left in the fCrrow over winter can be prepared for seeding by q thorough disking followed by a har- TOW, but if cover crop has been grown 1t should be broken again as early as possible in the spring This lis especially true if the cover. crop IS pastured. A roller seldom benefits heavy soils except when large amount of organic matter such as ma nure or green crop has been turned under just short time before seed, ing.
 Storing and Conserving Moisture: The water which falls upon the soil in the form of rain may be lost by running of from the surface, by evap- oration from the soil, by transpirat;on through the leaves of weeds, or by percolation into the lower strata be- low the reach of plant roots. Loss by the first three processes, can be materially reduced by proper tillage!
 When the land has been deeply broken the rain enters into it readily and Is held there, but when the soil Us hard and compact most of the wa- ter runs off into the stream channels, where 1t is of no use to crops. Not only is the water thus lost which might have been used for future use. but the water running off the land washes away the richest part of the soil and causes gullies to form, thus rendering tillage operations more dif- f1cult. After rain tlie surface soil soon dries out by the evaporation of the water. If the soil is compact, moisture Is continually being drawn up from below by capillarity and evap- orated from the surface. But if the top is stirred, loose earth mulch Is lformed which breaks up capillarity and reduces the loss. "
 Weeds, however, cause the greatest loss of moisture from the soil. In the growth of one ton of weeds about four hundred tons of water is used, whi.h is equivalent to three and half inches of rainfall per acre. Weeds also take up the available plant food thus robbing the crops and reducing the yield.
 Soil Ventilation: A thin important benefit Of thorough tillage results from the mixing of large amounts of air with the soil. Air is needed by the beneficial soil organisms such as the nitrifying bacteria which makes the nitrogen of organic matter avail able, and it promotes the growth of those bacteria which make the nitro gen of the air available to plants.
 Fall vs. Spring Breaking: When time and weather conditions permit it is better to break the ground in the fall. This leaves it in a loose conai- tioh ready to absorb the winter and spring rains and prevents washing and guilying. 4 Where the land is rolling the furrows should run crosswise 70 the slope and should not be smoothed with harrow or drag unless cover crop is grown.
 Deep Breaking and Shallow Cult1va. tion: As rule the soils of Arkansas are not broken deep enough to secure the best results. Deep breaking re- 0uires the use of larger teams, but it pays because larger amount o! plant food is made available, and more moisture is stored up for use in time of drought An exception to this rule should be noted, however, in the case of light sandy soils. These are al ready too loose and deep breaking is injurious. A good average depth fol breaking is six to seven inches fol clay loans and clays. Very sand, sotls should not be broken deeper than from three to four inches.
 After the ground has been broker deeply. shallow cultivation of tiilee crops such as corn, cotton. or potatoes fs the best rule to follow. Deep cul tiyation destroys the fine feedin. roots thus retarding the growth of thu plants and destroying the beneflcia effects of the deep breaking.