American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-01-11

- - W"WNHA HH'EHN -
make one pound OF grain or other veg.
etable matter Weighed in the dry state
The amount OF water needed varies
according 70 the soil and the crop.
some plants requiring more than
others. n the soil 10 rich and we'll
fertiiixed BY the u~p-to-date farmer
q more concentrated solution Il
formed aud Il requires consequently
much less water 10 carry The necee-
sary mineral matter; therefore In this
kind Of soil n might reqaire only $50
ponds % water 10 make a pound OF
corn. while in poor soil 500 pounds
might be necessary. This moral OF
this 10 hat good fertilization may b
a. valuable 10 the dry farmer as sew
erai inches OF rainfall.
Figures 0nly Approximate.
Tho figures given BY different OK
% rimenters representing the AMOUNT
Of water needed 10 produce a pound
81 dry grain or stalks. or other yege-
table matter. a DO taken only ap-
proximateiy. for local conditions OF
soil. climate, evaporation. etc. create
considerable verlations IN the md.
inea. bot ~ the same time these
tables ahow ~concluaiyely which crops
need the most water and vice versa.
On our ordinary western soils about
600 pounds Of water 20 one pound OF
corn may be considered a fair esti-
mate. A. the Akron experiment sta
tlon they give COZ for Iowa sllvermine
and 3t2 for indian Flint. which Is
about the lowest Allowing 900
pounds OF water % a pound OF corn.
an acre producing Is bushels win re-
quire about 500 tons. or about az
inehes. Il Il possible, then, 20 raise
a crop OF corn on "a Inches OF pre-
cipitationf II 10 not. owing 70 the I'm
mense amount OF waste. but u Is the
purpose of advanced dry farming
methods TO eliminate az much OF this
ws=.s a. possible
First Ne have 90 allow for the un-
available q per cent. which represents
the percentages OF moisture remaining
la the soil which the root hairs are
unable 10 take up when the soil be
comes too dry TO support growth
Theu comes losses by evaporation
and r%un-off. The amount OF ~hich de-
ponds largely on the methods em-
pioyed aud the way An which the pre-
cipitatiou ome when the soil Is
pioNed deeply aud properly prepared
heavy. soaking rains may be nearly
all saved: but light showers do not
set below the top inch and cannot be
saved because Il Is Impossible 90
mulch them.
Halt Of Moisture Lest.
On farms whore the soil Is not pre-
yiously prepared for tho accumulation
OF the precipitation az least half OF
u IL Loaf By run-on and evaporation
from the paddles on the surface. but
on the other hand when the ground
Is prepared for quick absorption and
the precipitation come about right
the farmer may a ~two-thirds. Al
lo~ing Tor The other third which Is
unavoldably lost and the unavailable
8 per cent. We nnd that although Il Is
necessary FOR only ~ inches Of water
20 BE- absorbed BY the corn plant. In
order TO furnish this mou We must
have a precipitation % az least ; or ,
inches.
Ia order 10 obtain this amount for
the crop. the safest way Is 10 con-
serve at least hair o. Il Ia the soil be-
fore planting This Is when fall pillow
ing comcs ia. for n a winter prccip-
itation OK 5 or s Inches can be con-
served In the subsoil for a spring
planted crop. two or three inches
more. or half the normal rainfall %
The average growing season Win ma
turs a.
In The early days Of our dry farm
ing experiences In Colorado Ne dis
covered that IN the spring OF the
year The soil in all Of cur nelds 10
~hich nothiag waa gr0~iug carried
about the same percentage % mois-
ture according 20 quality. Our heavy
clay ioams would have about ~ per
cent. he sandy loans about 10 or 10
and the sandy aud gravelly lands
about IA We found By experiment
that the rcason vas that Il could not
hold any more against capillarity and
gravity. which take Il and spread a
oat In the subsoii which. In The sent
arid ~diatricta. Is always dry down DO
low Therefore "a soon a. the rains
have ceased and the dry suosol has
had time to absorb all the free water.
our soil conteat. until evaporation
commences 10 work. OF crops use a
up. Is always somewhere about from
"a 90 ~ PER cent