| Show PREPARING FOR FALL GRAINS getting moisture into soil and safely stored I 1 something often neglected on dry farms the most important part in coll moisture conservation the most important factor in dry farming and the one which has been moot greatly neglected by our western farmers Is getting the rainwater into the ground and badely stored or conserved in ha subsoil where it may be drawn upon by the growing crop writes A M ten eyck in denver field and farm the firming and pulverizing of the soil to restore capillarity and the cul to maintain the soil mulch are each without avail unless there has been stored in the deep soil a sufficient amount of moisture to support the growing crop in time ot drought the plan of producing a mulch to conserve the moisture la the soli has been more or less successfully cess fully practiced for many years but in a very dry year this method failed because there was no moisture stored in the soil to be conserved by cultivation the moisture should be stored at all times during the season but especial ly during the interval between bar veat and planting the plan should be in the beginning of the preparation of the seed bed to put the soil in the most favorable condition to receive the rain and carry it downward into the subsoil this Is provided by disking soon after harvest or late in the fall or early in the spring deep plowing a long time before planting leaving the soil mellow and rough en larges the water reservoir and favors the absorption of heavy rains bu the best plan of storing moisture Is to Us the soil in deep furrows and high ridges soon after harvest or in tha fall after the corn or kafar corn la cut it this work cannot be accomplished in the fall winter listing or early spring listing is desirable in preparing the land tor winter wheat one plan Is to list the ground with the ordinary corn lister as soon after harvest as possible the lister furrows are run about three and a halt feet apart very much the same as when planting corn later when the weed seeds have germinated the soil Is worked back into the listed furrows by means act a harrow and ask cultivator several are ansu ally required with the spike tooth or disk harrow in order to leave the fiela and bring it into good seed bed condition once over with the disk cultivator Is sufficient to fill the furrows the further work necessary to prepare the seed bed being given with the common harrow |
