Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1916-11-24
s0IL PREPARATION
MOST IMPORTANT
All Types O. Soil May Be Made
Equally Productive.
g'ETLANDs MUST Be DRAINED


ly lesson on Preparation Of soilr has
been prepared by C. II. Afford. State
Agent, College PARK. Nd. Mr., Afford
says in part.
Soils differ widely in composition
and condition, a soil composed large
ly Of pulrerized limestone, Is called
mari ealcareeas. or lime soil; Of
sandstone. a sandy soil. Of alumina,
,lay soil; Of partially decomposed yege-
table matter, such as we find in swamps
and marshes, peaty, mucky soil. All
Of these soils may be equally product
i've if they are in the proper mechani-
cal condition and contain a 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, il fur
nishes home for the plant; second
il furnishes the crop plant food When
we improve the physical condition OF
the soil. we make better home for
plants. When we add to the soil, we
increase the supply Of plant food One
soil may be in an excellent physical
condition, but contain very little plant
food. Another soil may contain an
abundance Of plant fJbd, but the physi-
cal condition may mike it totally un-
fit for growing plants.
Drainage is needed on fields and on
every part of a 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 iend that is well
drained. the crops are better able TO
endure a long drought than on un-
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 or water eyaporating
from the surface OF the soil makes it
compact ard solid The evaporation Of
the water in the early part of the
growing season keeps the soil cold
regardless Of the emperature 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
It off; 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 pulyerized for consider
able depth and in addition 1t must be
full OF humus in order to produce max
imum 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 bumus
increases the water holding capacity
Of the soil several times and puts it
in a 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, Il
matters not how much plant food the
soil may contain. 1t viii 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 It.
1t 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 whore the frost and air
can change It into soluble plant food;
fourth, the soil Is rough and loose so
that it VIII drink in the rain that falls
When broken in tie fall and winter
we car use the better styles Of
two and three horse turning plows or
disc plows. The gasoline engine trac-
tion plow will do more and probably
better work. but the average small
farmer canrot AFFORD to own one
When we are unable to break our
land during the fall and winter, We
should break 1t early in the spring
for the following reasons: First, to
save water. 1t has been found by
experiments that unbroken land per
mits the water in the soil to escape
much faster than does broken land
Second, to prevent clods; third, to per
nit good settling Of the soil before
planting time In the early spring 1t
is best to use the disc plow. so set
lhat It will net bring much subsoil to
the surface.