The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1921-11-01
Agriculture
(By ]. F. O'Brien)

Soil improvement; leaf mold and
compost made from rotted stalks
weeds, sods, ETC., are very valuable
because they are composed largely of
humus from decayed vegetable matter.
They also contain from 1-2 of one to
4 percent of nitrogen and small guam
titles of phosphoric acid and potash.
By their use the soil Is made more
porous, mellow and forable, capillary
attraction is stimulated, atmospheric
oxygen is admitted to the soil, the soil
is made easier to cultivate and less
liable to puddle and form clods. In
a climate such as we have in Hawaii,
with much sunshine, etc, the humus
becomes rapidly depleted from the
soil and as we have already learned
that humus provides food for the ben
eficial bacteria, we should make every
effort to keep up the supply.
Tillage
PulVeriZation of the soil is one of
the prime objects of tillage, soil from
lying dormant or idle for months Is
liable to become packed and hard and
unsuitable for a seed bed or the
growth of plants. This pulverization
liberates plant food and makes 1t
available for the plants to feed upon.
The spoil grains are mixed with ma
nure, plant roots, and humus. Weed
plants and seeds are destroyed and
turned into humus. The sun dres out
the upturned furrow slices and makes
it possible for the air to enter. 1t
sweetens the soil and destroys insects
Without sufficient air in the soil seeds
cannot sprout or plants grow. With
out air there could be no decay of
hnimal or vegetable matter and
therefore no humus. Air also causes
chemical changes making unavailable
plant food more available, as the till
age increases the amount of soil sur
face exposed to the air the quantity
OF film water is increased. 1t is from
this film water the plant roots absorb
the moisture for plant growth. After
the crop is planted the surface soil
is stirred with implements of tillage
such as hoes and ~cultivators in or
der to form a mulch or layer of loose
soil on top. This mulch prevents an
excessive less of moisture. A certain
kind of harmful bacteria, called deni-
trifying bacteria exists in the soil
and cause available nitrogen com
DOuhuo ~ OC1'IlS uhp a. amy
work only where air is absent. The
ideal surface is one that is crumbly.
not dusty. A well titled soil is more
mellow and forable than one hat is
not well titled and a mellow soil, is
a good crop producing soil. Good
Judgment is necessary to decide when
to cultivate because if the soil is too
wet tillage operations will injure it,
making it lumpy and hard. Tillage
is necessary in order to destroy
weeds. Weeds are expensive board
ers, greedy eaters, excessive drinkers,
and poor payers. They steal the
crop food. If allowed to grow they
will 500 reduce if not entirely des-
troy the crop. The remedy is to de-
stroy them by .tillage. Cultivating
and hoeing will keep them down dur
ing the crop period. A narrowing
between blowing and planting the
crop will destroy most of the weed
seeds that blow in and have started
to grow. 1t is therefore better prac-
tice to let the land rest for a weeks
between blowing and planting to give
the weed seeds a chance to start, and
then destroy them by a good harrow
ing before planting the crop.
Flowing
Flowing is the first important work
to prepare the seed bed. 1t
is the basis of all other tilling opera
lions, no other work can be substi-
tuted for blowing. If the blowing Is
poor the crop will be poor. No after
work will make up for poor blowing.
The most favorable season, the best
soil, the finest seed, amount to little
unless the blowing is well done. And
not only so but the blowing influences
the future crops. One bad blowing
may injure soil SO much that it will
take several good ones to correct 1t.
Depth to PIow
This should be regulated by the ma
tural depth of the surface soil A
good rule is to pillow a litter shallow
er than the subsoil, say within IN
inch If tba coil 10 Sha1Inw mr. tyuN