OCR Text |
Show NEWLY BROKEN LAND CROPS Common Practice of Sowing Flax Relieves Re-lieves Struggling Farmer, but Is Not Always Best. The very common practice of sowing sow-ing flax or some other crop on newly broken land has apparently grown in favor during recent years, owing no doubt to the great increase in the growing of that crop. The practice oftentimes relieves the struggling farmer who is beginning work on the homestead, but it is not the best thing that can be done for the future production of the land. This at least is true, where the normal precipitation precipita-tion is low, as low say as 10 to 12 inche3. When a crop of flax or wheat or other grain crop is taken from land the season that it has been broken, no opportunity is given for moisture to go down into the dry subsoil to moisten it. The crop may absorb it all in a dry year and then not have enough to perfect its growth. In such instances the grower usually is anxious anx-ious to follow with another crop the next year, and to obtain it he may simply disc the land. The second crop, if indeed one can be taken from the land that year, in turn takes all the moisture of that season, none is left for the soil, much less for the subsoil; hence the subsequent cropping for a time is much liable to be attended with disaster. If the first plowing has been shallow, the condition will be further fur-ther aggravated. The necessities of the newcomer In very many Instances compel him to adopt some such course in order that he may get means that will enable him to carry on his work. But many adopt this method because they are anxious to get a quick return for their outlay without being compelled to farm thus. There is no question that it is not the best method to adopt. It would be better in the end to allow the land to lie idle during all the first summer, thus giving time for moisture to go down into the subsoil. With some re-1 re-1 serve of moisture In the soli, better crops may be grown, at least in the future that immediately follows. The benefit from having a store of moisture In the subsoil in a dry season cannot be overestimated. A small amount of such moisture may save a crop. The rainfall during the growing period may be only enough to carry the crop on to the earing stage. One more inch of rain would make the crop and it does not come. If In the absence of that inch of rain there was reserve moisture in the soil, the crop would be carried to completion. |