The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-03-29
BY II. d. BENNETT
director. Federal soil Erosion service
.rs1--r.-rt 1898. 81 United Fres5t

nlreetor- FEDERAL soil Erosion Service
Ir-nrrr.zl- 1898. lT United Presst
WASHINGTON. March 29.-Pre-
venffcn OF the spectacular and de-
sfrlctive dust storms now causing
tremendous damage in the great
plains is both possible and prac-
ticaL
Careful measures Of land use
must be- substituted for haphazard
farming practices in the affected
REGION. on thousands Of acres, now
lying denuded Of vegetation. a pro-
tectlng mantle Of vegetation AIDE
ouate 70 anchor the soil against the
prairie winds must be restored
The complete solution OF the
problem would be 20 return the high
plains region generally 20 the native
buffalo grass which protected It for
centuries before the land vas frs.
put under the plCT. about the turn
OF the century. Bat this obviously
IS impracucable with thousands OF
acres under intensive tilllage, much
o. % highly productive soil under
proper management
Crop ReSidues Are Aid
imperative now. is the widespread
adoption OF carefully planned land
use methods which Will maintain
the best possible ground cover and
a. the same time permit cultivation.
a complete program % sucs
methods is being demonstrated 10
farmers Of the high plains on three
Viud-erosiou control projects Oper-
ated by the soil erosion service
IN the Texas panhandle. eastern
Colorado and central South Dakota
This program involves the use Of
cr0p-resIdues- stubble left in the
field after wheel and sorghum have
been QUITO anchor the soil. One
Of the most injurious farm practices
IN the past has been that OF burning
of or grazing down these crop stub
bles. Left standing. they protect
the fields from blowing between crop
season when the soil otherwise
would b. exposed to the wind.
Also included in the land use pro-
gram OF the service IS the planting
Of emergency cover crops on fields
denUded by crop failures Several
types Of soll-binding grass. such as
dwarf sorghum. Will grow with very
little moisture and are therefore
adaptable 10 drought conditions.
Such "a crop should be put in as
soon as 10 becomes apparent that
failure Of wheat or other crops will
leave the land without protection.
Probably the most effective meas
ure IN the present emergency is the
planting of strips of sorghum or
other sOil-holding crops in every
third or fourth row across the field.
indications are that there is suf-
Fl residual moisture in the
ground 10 terminate such strip
crops
Tiilage Operations Helpful
Certain tillage operations are also
proving helpful in holding soil losses
20 a minimum. These include list
ing. or the turning of deep fur
rows at right angles to the prevailing
wind direction. and the use of
heavy plows TO clOd the surface of
the field with heavy SubsOil mater
'ial. Wind erosion is most damaging
on smooth surfaces. Fields rough
ened by tillage are considerably less
susceptible 10 blowing regardless of
the fact that such treatment lOOs-
ems the soil.
Likewise important in the pro-
gram Of wind erosion control is he
conservation of all available moist
ure 20 promote the growth Of vege-
tation. The depletion Of subSOil
moisture supply during the years uf
drought is one Of the principal
causes Of the present critical situ-
alton Continued cultivation and
oxidation have removed the soil
binding humus content and reduced
the soil 70 q fluffy powder.
Proper measures of moisture con-
seTvatiOn would have prevented this
20 a large extent had they been
employed on a large scale by farm
ers Of the area. Dry land terraces.
properly constructed. and contour
tillage are effective in preventing
rapid runof Of rainwater and hold
ing rainfall on the land.
Finally. the planting Of trees and
shrubs wherever moisture and soil
conditions viii insure their growth.
Will form wind-breaks for many
fields. This is recommended eSpe-
Cially along roads where there is
considerable moisture conservation
IN the roadside bitches.