The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1922-03-09
Farming Expert Says
Keep Soil AT Home
By j. G.. Haney

dCIeI u IHe sou may De claSSeu d.
a natural cause, and the way it is
handled M for which mar is re
sponsible.
1t is probable that the soils in most
of the northwest territory have orig
inally been transported by wind and
water, and consequently they are in
a finely divided state. When they
are exposed again by improper meth
DDS of handling, they will blow and
drift as they did in the early ages.
1t is generally noticed that soils do
not blow when they are first broken
up. This is due to the fact that
they are held together by the in
Vulnerable rootlets of the grasses
which grew on the land before it was
broken. After a period of years,
depending on the character of the
soil, and the amount of these grass
roots in the soil, it begins to blow.
How Soils Blow
Before suggesting remedies it
might be of interest to outline brief
ly how soils blow. No soil will blow
or drift to any extent unless it is
very fine and dry, and the surface
smooth. A soil that has been har-
rowed down smooth with a common
drag harrow, and left in this condi-
ton, soon drys out on the surface,
and when the wind starts the smaller
particles moving, they glide along
the surface without interference.
These particles in turn loosen 9TH
ers and they start going in the same
direction. The further they go and
the more there are of them, the
stronger becomes the action of these
particles as they move swiftly over
the surface. If there are any small
distractions like the tender parts
of crops above the ground, they may
be entirely cut off. When first start
ing the blowing is frequently confin-
ed to the small, smooth spots, but if
left without treatment it may spread
to the entire field. The action of the
soil particles moving rapidly has
much the same effect as sand paper
ng, and may continue to the extent
If even blowing the soil away from
he roots Of the plants that are al
'eady growing, and carry the soil to {
parts of the field where it may {
other plants so deeply that |
hey will not get out. The damage is l
lot confined to the blowing out or I
overing up of the crop. The part {
'lown away is the best part of the S
oil, and humus. The lower soil may I
ot be productive. may be sand, p
ock or gravel. Frequently a sandy P
art of a field is allowed to blow and II
over up a much better part of the {
ED, so that the whole field becomes IL
andy. Soils may even drift to the "
of covering up fences and 81
Dads, and cause much inconvenience
milar to drifting snow. 4
Do Not Work Blow Soil Too Fine
Perhaps the greatest of blow
lg, aside from the character of the
Ill, is the fact that tools are used
hich fine the surface soil to too
-eat an extent. Soils that are in OF
ined to blow should be given very IN
lreful consideration in this respect. &c
clod mulch instead of a dust mulch CT
lould be maintained on the surface, tn
EN- if it is necessary to pillow deep Pc
than usual, or pillow when rather ga
so as to turn soil up in a clod- Tn
condition. fu
In no case should the so-called dust tn
ulch be prepared en- this kind of ar
il. If by any chance it should hap TIC
n that the surface becomes smooth 10
d fine, it should be roughened i'm N.
sdiately, or plowed so as to over MI
me this condition. In southern ed
on soil that drifted badly
blowing was practiced, with gu
mediate packing with a heavy sub pr
packer. The lower soil, Ian
ich had not been weathered down, IN
not drift, and with immediate Sts
,ding after blowing and packing, act
crop soon covered the land and In
vented blowing. lily
Any land that has a tendency to len
w should be used in a rotation that va
pasturing it to as great an cou
ent as possible. Some soils blow for
badly that they should be seeded sto
vn and if possible left in perma- ties
It pasture. When it is desirable acr
pillow them up for other crops the CHI
wing and seeding should be done wal
.ultaneously, and as little work as add
sible put on these soils, tt put vat
m in condition for seeding. the
t is obviously desirable to turn Is
Ter and work into such soils as the