The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-06-14
DON'T DELAY
CULTIVATION
WHERE RAINFALL IS SCAMT
|. THE HARROW C0NSERvES
THE MOISTURE.
feed CROPS ARE SCARCE
High Prices for Both Human and
Animal Food Make Intensive
and Extensive Farming
Necessary.


the moisture. In view OF the fact
that moisture has been scarce in
the soil all winter, it is necessary
that every measure be Used that will
aid in the production of crops this
year. Early and frequent cultivation
Will help to conserve the moisture and
will kill the weed seeds that are ger
minating.
One of the best implements that can
be used for this early cultivation Is
the ordinary spike tooth harrow. The
moisture, as 1t rises from below,
passes on through the surface and
into the air and . granulated soil
mulch maintained to a depth of 3 to
3ha inches over the surface will very
materially aid in holding the moisture
that We have in the soil. 1t is not
necessary that this mulch should be
SO finely pulverized that it becomes
dust for frequently, when 1t is in that
condition, 1t prevents the rain from
soaking into the soil. Moisture Is
necessary to plant growth and the
big problem Of growing crops in Okla
homa is the problem of conserving the
moisture or rainfall. In this south
western country the soil moisture
evaporation IS very rapid and every
means possible should be employed
to prevent it.
For crops like the grain sorghums,
1t is often times advisable to give one
or two civilizations before the seed is
planted. This helps to bring the tenn.
perature of the soil up to a point
where the seed will germinate quick.
ly and grow right off. The first culti-
vation of corn should be in close to
the corn and deep, and the following
civilizations should be deep enough to
maintain a granulated soil mulch over
the surface of the soil sufficient to re.
tard evaporation.
A great deal is said these days about
the scarcity of food and, il you doubt
1t, all that you have to do is to at.
tempt to buy some of the necessities
OF life and you will find that prices
have gone higher than was ever
known. All the cities and towns have
taken up the movement for growing
gardens on vacant lots and almost ev
cry paper you read has something to
say that will encourage the planting
Of food products.
We should not forget that along
With a scarcity Of food products there
Is shortage of feed for the live
stock. Last year was rather a short
year for feed production and there
is a surprisingly small amount of feed
on the Oklahoma farms today. The
high prices that have been offered for
feed stuffs have drained the supply to
the limit and, along with the short.
age of food, there is also a shortage
of feed stuffs. This condition will
reach very serious point in Okla.
homa this year unless sufficient land
is devoted to the production of sure
crops.
Seed corn has been scarce this
year and in number of places in the
state the folks who live on the prai-
! rie lands have gone to the river bot.
toms for seed corn. The importing
of seed corn from other states in
dry year is almost always disastrous
and SO likewise it Is seldom possible
to go into the bottom land and get
corn that has grown on rich, bottom
land and expect 1t to grow on thin
prairie land and make a full crop.
Pasture helps the feed problem. Ok
lahoma's native pastures are about
gone and 1t is necessary for us to
take some steps in order to furnish
pasture for our live stock. The cheap
est feed that can be raised is pasture
but that will not produce the best re-
turns without some care and attention.
Over large part of Oklahoma. Ber-
muda grass thrives. Now is the time
to start Bermuda pasture. One Of
the best ways to do it is to prepare
the land as IL you were going to put
in row crop and, after laying It on
In rows about 30 inches apart, or
three feet. drop the roots, cover them
over, and 1t will possibly be necessary
to give them one or two civilizations.
Some have been able to get a good
stand Of Bermuda by planting It in
alternate rows with peanuts or the
grain sorghums. The cultivation given
to the cow crops in this way cult.
Yates the Bermuda and gives some 9th.
er feed in addition. It is too late
now to hope to get any good results
from the sowing Of seed. II sown
early In the winter. frequently a stand
Of Bermuda can be obtained but II q
cold. severe winter follows It nearly
always dies. Bermuda should not be
pastured so close In the fall that the
roots will not be protected from the
winter freezes. On the high, thin
spots, that are too rocky to cultivate.
SOW little Sweet Glover seed. Il
will be good plan to SOW little yet
this spring, some this fall, and then
little again next spring. Sweet Clio.
yer is making good over the state. II
will not grow successfully on lands