Spanish Fork Press | 1909-08-26 | Page 6 | Cultivation in Dry Weather

CULTIVATION IN DRY WEATHER Summer rains beat down cultivated soil forming a hard crust This hard crust prevents sufficient air from reaching the roots of tho crops and also allows the soil to dry out fast Hence It is a good plan to give growing plants a light cultivation after each rain to break this crust This must not be done till the soil becomes dry for cultivating or plowIng plow-Ing the soil when It Is wet packs and Injures It Keeping the surface of the soil fine prevents rapid escape of soil moisture i Water Is being continually drawn up from below by capillary action of the soil particles If the surface of the soil Is hard this soil water escapes Into the air by evaporation If the surface of the soil Is fine and loose capillary action Is broken at the surface and the water remains below to nourish the roots of tho plants In dry weather crops should be given fine surface cultivation so that all moisture possible shall be retained in the soil for the benefit of tho feedIng feed-Ing roots Making tho surface soil fine to prevent pre-vent evaporation of nplsturo Is called making a dust mulchII II Shepard