Home, Field and Forum (Guthrie, Okla.), Vol. 6, No. 2, Ed. 1 Tuesday, February 1, 1898 Page: 2 of 16
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HOME, FIELD AND PORUM.
FEBRUARY.
Hgricufturof JRatter*.
THE VALUE OF EARTH MULCH.
11 K HILTON, TOI'KKA, KArf.
The theory advanced by Mr. T. B.
Terry to explain how the "earth muloh
conserve* the moisture, presents some
seeming contradictlone. Soil Is most
compact when settled In water or when
thoroughly pulverized while air-dry and
brought under some pressure. It Is
loosest when well stirred as soon after a
good rain as It Is In proper condi-
tion to l>e worked—every subsequent
stirring of the top soli while It remains
dry brings the particles closer togerther.
The more dusty the soil mulch Is made,
the greater Is its capillarity—and Mr.
Terry, to be consistent, must advocate
only one cultivation after every fall of
rain if the theory that we cultivate
to make the top soil loose and open and
thus decrease its capillarity, Is to be
oocepted. 1'lalnly here Is a paradox.
We are advised to keep stirring dry
soil in a dry time to keep it loose and
coarse, when the effect of such cultiva-
tion is with rare exceptions Just the
opposite. The first cultivation of the
moist soil gives it an arrangement com-
parable to oranges packed In tiers, one
orange on top of another. Stirring the
second time settle* the soli grains closer
together. Just like packing the oranges
st) that one rests between two, gaining
nearly 10 per cent, of space, and a third
stirring will secure a still closer ar-
rangement, like oranges arranged in
pyramid form. If we could fill a tube
54.45 Inches high, and an Inch or more
in diameter, with a dry soil so fine that
none of the spaces would exceed one
one-thousandth of an inch, then water
applied at the base will rise to the top
Just as It does In the capillary tube one-
thousandth of an inch in diameter to
the height of 54.45 Inches. Some of our
fine clay soils will lift water higher than
this; but soils in which silt or sand
predominate the lift is usually much
less, especially under field conditions.
Mr. Terry's theory has some application
to conditions where the ground water
level, or level of free water, is suffi-
ciently near the surface to raise the
water from it into the top foot of the
hoiI; but we need to keep constantly In
mind the difference beetween a moist-
ure supply lifted up by capillary attrac-
tion from a water level a few feet be-
low, and that obtained from the rain
water that is held back in the soil,
after percolation has carried off the
surplus Into the drainage far below. A
clay loam soil, dry and pulverized,
placed in a cubic foot box, will occupy
about half of the space. The other half
will be air space between the soil par-
ticles and will hold half a cubic foot,
or fifteen quarts of water, without over-
flow of either water or soil. The soil
now contains 50 per cent., by measure,
of moisture and is fully saturated. If
permitted to drain under field condi-
tions about half will flow out by grav-
ity and half will be retained, clinging to
the exposed surfaces of the soil grains.
The farmer controls the amount held
back from drainage to the extent that
he Is able by pulverization and securing
a closer and more uniform arrangement
of the soil particles, to Increase the
area of surface in the top foot of soil to
which water may adhere. But after
gravity has removed the surplus or free
water beyond the zone of plant roots,
then what Temalivs Is largely within the
control of the tiller oi the soil. The
product of the season on a fertile soil Is
largely the measure of his use of this
water su| ply and the per cent, he can
make available to the growing crop.
In a half-saturated soil the spaces be-
tween the soli grains are equally divided
l>etween air and water. Add summer
temperature ami we have the most fa-
vorable conditions to promote germ life
in the soil, plant nutrition and plant
growth. Hut why should water In a
half-saturated soil rise to the surface
and be thus exposed to loss by evapora-
tion? If gravity cannot overcome the
adhesive force of the exposed soil grain
surfaces and carry It down, what power
lifts It up? If water will not descend
from a half-saturated soli Into dry so41
beneath, what causes It to ascend? When
the Boil Is fully saturated gravity con-
trols and the movement of water is
downward only. Gravity Is the impor
tant factor In removing the free water
In a pervious soli. When the moisture
content Is reduced to one-fourth sat
oration, the movement of water practi-
cally ceases between these two points,
and especially between half ami quarter
saturation the movement may be In any
direction, surface tension being the mo
tire power. There are two Import ant
•actor* In tb« movement of eoll water
after drainage has ceased tine, the
thickness of the water fllmB spread over
the aoil grains. The other their con-
tinuity. The exposed surfaces in a cubic
foot of clay loam soil should, if laid
out flat, cover nearly an acre of ground
A fine division and uniform arrange-
ment of the soil particles increase the
amount of surface, and hence the quan-
tity of water each foot will retain. If
a broad rubber band is slipped over a
marble ami pulled wrlth a gentle pres-
sure, the marble will represent the soli
grain and the rubber band the film of
moisture adhering to It. Stretch the
rubber band to the fullest limit, Its
thickness is diminished, its tension in-
creased; as the pull on the rubber band
Is slackened It becomes thicker and Is
finally restored to its normal condition.
When the rubber band is thickest it has
the least grip on the marble; as it be-
comes thinner by stretching, its ten-
sion or grip on the marble is increased
In a similar way the water adheres to
the soil grains with the least force when
the film Is thickest and the surface ex-
posed to the air is least, and with great-
est force when the film Is thinnest and
the surface exposed to the air is great-
est. When the film Is thinnest its strain
or tension Is greatest and It Is this
strain or force that moves the water
from the point in the soli where the films
are thickest to the point In the soil
where these are thinnest, till the differ-
ences are adjusted. This movement has
a limitation not yet clearly determined,
but the thick films are more elastic than
the thin ones, and will move more read-
ily—that is to say, the movement from
soil 25 per cent, moist into an adjoining
soil 20 per cent, moist will be more free
and rapid than when the differences are
20 and 15 per cent. The freedom of
movement Is probably in proportion to
the difference in moisture content down
to the point where the film is most at-
tenuated, but still unbroken. When the
film breaks movement •ceases. It Is
like a broken electric circuit. When
the. water ceases to move In the soil
there Is an evident lack of plant nutri-
tion. It Is like water standing in pools
along the water courses, as com|>ared
with the flowing stream available at all
points. While the film is continuous,
water is drawn from the surroundingsoll
grains to the feeding roots by the ten-
sion set in motion by root alisorptlon
—all the water and prepared food is
available. The water carries its trib-
ute to the plant root. When the film is
broken then the tiny rootlets must seek
the water In the tiny pools In the angles
between the soil grains, an enormous
diminution In its source of supply. Let
us apply this rubber band illustration
to the conditions of the soil. The rain
has fallen and spread Itself over the
soil grains to a depth of two feet, which
we shall assume to be half saturated.
Drainage has ceased, and there is no
further loss downward; sun, wind and
air promptly attack the moisture on
the top soil grains, tne films of water
on these are thinned by evaporation,
increasing the tension which acts to
draw water from the grains next below,
to adjust the difference, and thus a
stream of water is set in motion from ail
parts of the soil, to a depth of two feet
toward the surface. Probably half our
summer rains escape from undisturl>ed
soils in this way, and within one week
from the time of falling. The cultiva-
tor or harrow at the right time after
the shower loosens the surface soil,
breaks the continuity of the films, lets
the air In freely to dry out to the depth
stirred, and establishes a new moisture
line two to three inches below. The
water cannot reach the surface again.
There are no moist films to give It a
helping hand. It matters not how finely
the dry surface soil Is pulverized or
how closely It Is packed so long as the
soil below is less than half saturated,
water will not rise into it, but It will
rise lnUj,« very much looser eoll If It
ls>*TTfa little less moist. It Is possible
tnat there may be times and conditions
where there Is a wider variation between
the day and night temperature which
would cause the moisture, when close
to Its maximum during the day, to
spread into the dry soil during the
night, but the combinations that would
make this possible are limited and ex-
ceptional. The length of this article
forbldft any reference to the controlling
Influence of temperature and the salts
In the soil upon soil moisture. We a«ree
with Mr. Terry that we should exactly
understand what we are doing the work
for, and as the result of our investlga
Hons and experiments have reached the
conclusion that the virtue In the "earth
mulch" is In its drynees, not its loose
ness, and that in maintaining the most
effective soil mulch we should aim to
keep the surface dry rather than loose
KAFFIR 00RN SORGHUM.
A pa|rt*r by W. T. Uutchklx. re d l the Berryum
(Ku .) KunuvrH Itintltutf. Keltruwj 4 IHW*.
KAFFIR COKN.
Kaffir corn has a coarse, strong stalk,
and the shortest period of growth and
ripening Is about 100 days. The stalk and
leaves and grain are all excellent food
for horses and cattle, and In the Kafllr
countries the meal Is prepared in va-
rious ,/ays for food. Kafllr corn has the
bame climatic limits as Indian corn, and
an early spring, warm summer and late
fall are the essential climatic conditions
for an abundant crop. Its yield is greater
than Indian corn, and, In my Judgment,
It Is destined to become, In the very near
future, an Important factor In American
agriculture.
In the cultivation of Kafllr corn, the
first thing to be considered Is the break-
ing or turning of the soil—shall It be
broken in the fall or spring? shall It be
deep or shallow? or shall a middle course
be pursued? are questions upon which
there are vtry considerable differences
of opinion among Kansas farmers.
I am in favor of fall plowing, for sev-
eral reasons. First, because by turning
over the sod and turning under the stub-
ble and weeds In the fall, decomposition
has so far advanced, during the four or
five months between plowing and plant-
ing, that a much larger share of plant
food is In a state of readiness to be ab-
sorbed by the young corn plant than if
the operation had been deferred until a
few days before planting. Second, be-
cause 1 have found the yield greater than
on spring-plowed land; and third, be-
cause, as a measure of economy, the work
can be done at a third less cost than dur-
ing the pressure of spring work.
Is deep plowing advisable? That de-
pends upon circumstances. If we plow
In the fall we may plow considerably
deeper than in the spring; or In case we
manure very Tieavliy, we may plow deep,
say six or seven inches. But don't plow
too deep, for if you do you practically
embalm or preserve that which it should
be our aim to convert into an active plant
food.
Having prepared a good seed-bed by
thoroughly pulverizing the soil, care must
be taken not to plant the seed before the
ground is warm. A good rule to follow
is, to seed immediately after corn plant-
ing is finished.
Kaffir corn may be grown either in
hills or in drills; and whether planted
In hills or drilled In rows, It should be
given about the same cultivation as In-
dian corn. I plant with an ordinary two-
horse corn-planter with drill attachment,
and cultivate the first time the same
as corn. If other cultivation Is needed,
It should be shallow, because the roots
reach out eight or ten inches In all di-
rections, and deep cultivation would
destroy the feeders and weaken the
plants. It cost me one-tlilrd of my crop
last season to acquire this Information.
The crop should be cut as soon as ripe.
I use a corn-harvester, bind in bundles,
and shock the same as wheat.
When grown for fodder, the most com-
mon error is too thick seeding. When
thickly sown, the fodder is apt to fall and
rot; and if saved is watery and not fit
to feed, since full development of the
plant does not take place.
If grown for fodder, there should be
about four plants to the foot, and the
rows should be from two feet and a half
to three feet apart, and seeded about one
and one-half Inches deep. If grown for
grain, plant about the same as Indian
corn.
For fodder, I like Kafllr corn better
than Indian corn, because there Is less
waste, and horses and cattle eat It clean
For chickens there Is nothing better, and
there are more eggs in a bushel of Kaffir
corn than In any other kind of grain
But the chief recommendation of
Kaffir corn for this locality lies In the
fact that It will produce a crop on less
rain than Is required for corn, and Is not
affected so seriously by the hot winds.
When corn has once been stunted by
drought or hot winds It. never recovers;
but Kaffir corn will remain stationary
and curled up for weeks, and when the
rain comes It will revive, and If not too
late in the season will produce a good
crop of grain.
There are no statistics of which I have
knowledge that give the magnitude and
extent of the crop of Kafllr corn raised
In this State, but 1 am sure that the acre
age Is steadily Increasing, and I lielleve
that in the years to come Kaffir corn
will be one of the permanent staple
crops of Kansas, excelling In certainty
and amount of yield all other crops.
SORGHUM.
Sorghum belongs to the same family
as Kaffir corn, nnd, In the preparation
of the soil, seeding and cultivation, re
quires about the same treatment. The
soil must be warm and free from weeds to
atart with; an occaalonal stirring with
the cultivator produce* good results
The sweet, or sugar, sorghum Is my
favorite variety, and the one with which
I have experimented moat, and I regard
It as the very best forage crop that can
be raised In this climate. It wIM not
raise quite as much grain as Kaffir corn,
but what It does produce Is equally good
for feed, and the fodder Is very much
better.
tin deep, rich soil, kept clean of weeds,
two or three cuttings may be made In
one season, yielding from three to ten
tons of cured fodder to the acre. 1 be-
lieve the time Is coming when the farmer
will quit the old-fashioned methods of
pasturing ills lands, and all the upland
meadows will be turned into sorghum
fields. For Instance, under the present
system of pasturage, forty acres will
scarcely feed twenty head of cattle five
months In the year, while the same forty
acres In sorghum, properly cared for.
will give the twenty cattle three meals
each day and a lunch at midnight, and
keep them In good condition twelve
months In the year.
Sorghum Is especially good for dairy
stock, and as a milk-producing feed has
no equal. 1 am feeding It now with
well-cured clover hay to milch cows, and
while the cows pick over their clover
they eat the sorghum clean as It comes.
So 1 say, after a thorough trial, that there
Is no better food for the production of
a full flow of rich milk and at the same
time for keeping the cow In a thriving
ondltlon, than sorghum fodder, and es-
peclally when fed with well-cured hay.
The introduction of Kafllr corn and
sorghum will, in my opinion, be an im-
mense boon to the dairy Interests of the
State of Kansas.
But nothing can be gained without
work and cost and struggle and waiting,
for It Is the same In farming as In every
other department of business. All work
has Its due return, and comfort and In-
dependence and a clear conscience will
oome to those who willingly work and
then are willing to wait while the grain
which their toll has planted ripens.
8av'e the 8oil Moisture.
Fditor Home, Field and Forum:
Now, as we follow the plow and watch
the mould-board toss the soil to one side,
let us observe how It is done. First,
we notice that the soli is In a good con-
dition to plow, as It Is neither too wet
nor too dry, as no farmer would think
of plowing his soil when too wet or too
dry. Why Is this? Because he knows he
will Injure the soil If he works It when
too wet, and when It is too dry it does
not plow good. Now, then, If he will not
plow his soil when It Is too wet, why
will the very same farmer harrow It when
It Is too wet?
Most of the farmers plow whole fields,
and the atmosphere rapidly dries out
the freshly-turned soil, and they do not
harrow until It rains, and then, as they
are In a hurry, they start the harrows
when the soil is too wet, as Is proven by
the bunches of rootlets that wrap around
the harrow teeth and are pulled oft at the
end of the field.
Now, why should a man be particular
about plowing and so careless about har-
rowing? Is there any sense in this way
of doing? If the soil is In such nice con-
dition when plowed, why Is not that
the time of all times to harrow the soil?
Why will the farmer turn over the soil
and put about four Inches of air Into It,
thus establishing a free circulation of
air through the soil, then allow this
condition of things to continue until the
whole field is plowed or until It rains?
Is not such work a downright calamity
to the soil ? Plowed soil thus treated
will very rapidly evaporate Its moisture,
and all the moisture found In this turned-
over soil at the end of a week or pleas-
ant weather is the moisture at the bot-
tom of the furrow that has been drawn
up from below as the surface moisture
evaporated. Any farmer will agree that
a few pleasant and hot days with a warm
south or "drying wind," as he calls It,
will rapidly dry out the freshly-plowed
land that has not been harrowed, but
he thinks that if the weather is cold
and cloudy that the evaporation ceases
and It will do no hurt to let the soil lie
and harrow It later on.
Now, while our heads are down and we
are watching the soil turn over in the
furrow, let us study out just how a cold
and cloudy day will stop the evaporation
from the soil. We know that when a
plow Is set to run about four incnes deep,
that the land-side of the freshly-made
furrow will measure about seven Inches,
as the plow point has raised the soil the
same as a subsoller point does, or the
exact depth of the plow shin, and the
freshly-turned furrow will measure fully
eight inches In depth; and we slap our-
selves and tell our nelgnbor that we
are plowing seven to eight Inches deep,
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Soule, J. S. Home, Field and Forum (Guthrie, Okla.), Vol. 6, No. 2, Ed. 1 Tuesday, February 1, 1898, newspaper, February 1, 1898; Guthrie, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc102581/m1/2/: accessed March 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.