The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1917-02-02
CORN GROWING
Getting Moisture Into the Soil for
Good Corn Yields-Preparing
the Land for Planting

COFn gets WndC IL Cahco AIoiil I1Ae
soil in liquid form and, therefore,
there must be moisture to spare. The
actual number of inches Of rainfall on
a given field, however, is not alone a
safe guide, especially in droughty re-
gions, as much depends on the amount
of water that is stored at different
seasons; the amount that is wasted in
runoff, evaporation, 6r seepage; and,
finally, the amount actually made
available to the root system of the
corn. It has been estimated that a
rainfall of 10 inches will be sufficient
to produce a 5O-bushel yield of corn,
provided none Of it escaped except
through the plants. Even weeds,
however, cannot take owe every bit of
moisture and it is impossible under
field conditions to prevent losses.
Corn specialists of the Bureau of
Plant Industry, United States Depart
ment of Agriculture, in Farmers Bull
letin 773, therefore caution corn grow
ers in droughty regions (1) to plan
their cultural operations so as to have
the soil surface in best condition to
/ take in water when rains are most
likely to occur; (2) * to handle the
soil that deep penetration may be Sc,
cured; and (3) so to cultivate the soil
as to store up heat and at the same
time prevent excessive loss of soil
water through capillary action and
surface evaporation.
The ease with which soils take in,
retain, or lose moisture depends most
ly on their texture, physical condition,
and surface slope, they point out. 1t
is to the extent that cultivation can
modify these factors that more water
can be made available to the growing
crop.
There are loose, open soils through
which water pours as through a sieve,
and there are tight, gumbo soils which
swell when the surface is moistened
and become practically waterproof.
Sandy soils take in faster more
readily than heavier soils; hence, less
precaution is necessary to prevent run
off.
The greatest loss may be from seep-
age to depths beyond the plant roots
Manure and decaying vegetable mat
ter check seepage and improve soils
of this character. AS corr roots pen'
citrate 3 to ever 6 feet deep, larger
yields of corn are frequently raised or
sandy soils in semiarid regions thai
on surrounding hard soils.
The heavy, hard, or close-texturet
soils require the most cultivation t.
keep them in proper condition so a
to prevent moisture loss from run-oe
and evaporation. Unless the surfac'
is kept broken or somewhat rough, bu
little water will be absorbed during
hard rains and a great loss will occu
from evaporation. To maintain tn
!. surface soil in proper condition, cult
walton is necessary soon after heav,
rains. If cultivation is too frequent
however, so that the surface become
too. fine, moisture cannot penetrat
readily and blowing of the soil i
likely to occur.
1t is of great Importance that mois
ture be made to penetrate several fee
below the surface. In most soils thl
penetration is slow, and during no
dry weather surface evaporation
great. Surface moisture cannot pens
trate a frozen soil. Summer and ia
precipitation has time to p%entrate se'
eral feet deep and be in a position I
support a growing crop the next sun
mer. While it is seldom advisable
waste a whole summer in storing moi
ture for a corn crop the next year,
is advisable to begin storing soil moi
ture as soon as the preceding crop WI
permit. The ideal seed bed for
good corn crop in semiarid regions
one with a loose, coarse surface al
a subsoil we'll filled with moisture
a depth of several feet.
As lack of moisture, more than an
thing else, limits corn yields
- droughty regions, the first questi'
regulating each operation should
"What will be it's effect upon the 81
moisture s~upply?"
The authorities state that viii
summer fallow frequently results
greater yields of corn, the practice h
a not proved practicable. They, ther
fore, advise beginning the preparati
of land to prevent loss of moistu
and to the surface into condition to
ceive moisture as Don as the prece
ing crop will permit. Cultivation a!
er the removal of the preceding or
is profitable if it stops or prevents
*growth of weeds. But if the growi
season is nast, dead weeds may cat
y moro snow than would be caught