The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1917-01-19
SOIL PREPARATION
MOST IMPORTANT
All Types OF Soil May Be Made
Equally Productive.
WETLANDS MUST BE DRAINED

College Park, Nov. 30.-A very time
ly lesson on Preparation Of Soil" has
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
a mari, calcareous, or lime soil; OF
sandstone, a 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 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, 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.
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 food, but the phys1-
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 a 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 a 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 it 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 sell 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
It off; third, to permit the air to circu-
| late freely for 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 we'll drained and
| thoroughly pulverized for consider
able depth and in addition it 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 humus
| 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. It
| matters not how much plant food the
soil may contain, it 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 It.
| 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 it 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 or
| disc plows. The gasoline engine trac-
ton pillow will do more and probably
| retter work, but the average small
| farmer cannot 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 It 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 tine. In the early spring it
is be,t to use the disc plow, so set
| That il will not bring much subsoil to
|