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Show ESTABLISHING A DRY MULCH By Running Over Ground With Cultivator Culti-vator Packed 80II la Broken and Moisture Conaerved. (Ry L. It. W AM 'HON, 8up-rlntem1nt. IXeklnaon. N. l.. Riprrlment Btatlon.) If one turns over a board or scrapet away some straw lying upou the ground, the ground Is seen to be moist while the surrounding, exposed ground may be dry. If one scatters straw upon dry ground. It will be found lo a few days that the dry ground has become molnt. The upper up-per few inches of surface will be aeen to have accumulated moisture. This moisture would have been given up to the air and thus lost to the soli had not the straw been applied. A layer of dry foil acts In the same way when applied to land. H Is plain that this layer of dry soil can be applied to tha land from the land Itself, by the us OX suitable machinery. The dirt mulch can be applied with but little cost and because of this, and because It saves the moisture so well. It becomes of Incalculable value to cultivated crops. After a heavy rain one observes the oil in the garden or In the corn fluid to be packed and hard; by running over the ground with a cultivator, the Surface Cultivator. packed soil Is broken and a mulch la established. The formation of the mulch prevents In great measure tha lost of moisture. The loss of moisture la prevented by the stoppage of the capillary movement of water. It would be much the same If one were to cut off a lamp wick and fasten the two cut ends by wires. Oil would not pass from one part of the wick to another. Forming a mulch on land does not entirely prevent the loss of moisture but the moisture saved may amount to 10 per cent, or even considerably con-siderably more. There are several conditions that affect the dirt mulch. The deeper toll mulch la the more effective, but the deep soli mulch It more expensive to make and the deeper the mulch the more fertile aoll there Is lost for the plants. A soil mulch becomes poorer with age and so it may have to be renewed occasionally. Tb.l,la especially true If a, 'fain should come. IMtX realebea can be better made when the aoll la moist |