American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-02-07
DEEP FLOWING AND
SOIL C0MPACTI0N EXPLAINED
Roots Must Find Subsoil Moisture Or
Crops VIII Fail.

Dry farming in its early days was
often referred to as a method OF con-
serving moisture. This is only one
half of it. The correct definition OF
dry farming is THE art of accumulat-
ing and conserving such reserves OF
moisture in the soil as are i~ndispens-
able for the raising of crops without
irrigation in regions of limited pre-
cipitation."
There are two distinct processes in
volved, accumulation which depends
mainly on blowing, and conservation
which rests on mulching. We must
first catch our water before we can
conserve it, and the deeper we pillow
the more we catch. For ordinary crops
6 or 8 inches of water should be i'm
pounded in the soil before planting.
OF this amount a large proportion is
held in the subsoil, for the seed bed
alone could probably hold only about
two inches of it.
In some of the Pacific states which
have a wet season followed by a dry
one. crops are raised on conserved
moisture after the rainy season is
over. without rain and without irriga-
ton. All over the United States bill
lions Oh IOu6 VI NdlCl "biNh 'SN
make millions of tons of crops, II con-
served in the soil, run Off into the
creeks. rivers, and the sea, and are
lost to the service of man. All water
drains away to the nearest water
course. There is only n way to I
it-plow the ground that it runs over
With steady rains deep plowlng ac-
cumulates an enormous oil
moisture, for as it falls on the surface
1t works its way down through the
seeded (settling as it goes) and is
absorbed into the subsoil below.
Ten or twelve inches OF plowine
will easily hold two or more inches OF
rain. until it has time to sink into the
subsoil, leaving the seeded ready FOL
the next downpour; but II the pillow
ing is much shallower than this, there
is every danger of its becoming flood.
ed and temporarily waterlogged, foi
il has no capacity for more than g
small shower. Standing water brings
: alkali to the surface and puddles anC
[ solidifes the soil TO such an exten
) that baking ensues, and perhaps
cracking of the surface. which, in cas-
. of row crops. may be checked with tn
= cultivator, but in case of grain crop
approaching maturity, means dimin
ished yield. Dry farming is essen
I TALLY farming for the future. Tn
. blowing we do today may bring u
/, no returns for six months or a year
I Furthermore, every years good pillow
ing improves the condition OF the sub
soil and conserves more and NOR
moisture over and above what tn
s crons use up, and the longer the goo
S work is kept up the easier it become
d to raise almost anything the farme
desires.
n No settler can expect big crops tn
first year. The subsoil is dry; tn
n moisture is not there. It is up to tn
e farmer to put it there. That is hi
l. Job the first season-to so open up tn
II soil hat no moisture may run on an
l. be lost, and when the right momer
IT arrives put the lid on with the disc
I. c~ultivator. In a few years he begin
TO wonder what the difficulty was, Il
IS dry farming by the right method is {
1t easy as any kind Of farming and muc
te more pleasant than bucking mud.
Absolutely every crop on the di
farm should be planted on n Of u
he three fallows. The spring fallow lar
DR. plowed in February or March and he
II. over for planting until May, June
to July, is used for late crops such
corn. sorghum. Sudan grass bean
he etc. The summer fallow. which
ut land plowed in May or June, is u
best for winter wheat or rye plant
in August or September. The whit
ce fallow. which is plowed in the fall.
to good for all spring crops without e
ed ception, but particularly so for GA
nd fax. and small grain BY followii
re this simple rule Of the three fallo'
se we insure our crops against drout
en- and secure the proper soil compact