. Bulletin. 1901-13. Agriculture; Agriculture. 30 AGRICULTURH IN THE SEMTARID GREAT PLAINS. Conservation of moisture is not the only benefit derived from sum- mer tillage, although it is one of the most important reasons for the good results following. Such tillage puts the ground in very much better physical condition for plant growth, aside from the more favorable moisture content. There is abundant evidence also that there is more available plant food in the upper layers of soil and within easy reach of the plant roots. Tliis, liowevor, must not be interpreted to mean that fertility has or
. Bulletin. 1901-13. Agriculture; Agriculture. 30 AGRICULTURH IN THE SEMTARID GREAT PLAINS. Conservation of moisture is not the only benefit derived from sum- mer tillage, although it is one of the most important reasons for the good results following. Such tillage puts the ground in very much better physical condition for plant growth, aside from the more favorable moisture content. There is abundant evidence also that there is more available plant food in the upper layers of soil and within easy reach of the plant roots. Tliis, liowevor, must not be interpreted to mean that fertility has or has not been added to the soil. The temperature and moisture conditions secured by the clean and thorough cultivation given are favorable for changing the condition of the plant food already in the soil so that j)lants may use it, while if was prpviously in unusable Fig. 4.—a field suninier-tilled by listing instead of plowing, Kawlins County, Kans., 1H(W. One of the very important effects of summer tillage on winter wheat is that it enables the wheat to start at once with a vigorous growth and so enter the winter in good condition. It thus comes through the winter strong, well rooted, and ready to take advantage of any opportunities for growth. In this condition it is able to with- stand considerable hardship, when wheat on land less thoroughly prepared suffers in the winter and comes through weak or dies. It will often happen that the field which was summer-tilled the preceding season will-contain little, if any, more moisture in the spring in the first 3 feet of soil than a field which grew a crop and was plowed and seeded to wheat, but the wheat on the summer-tilled land will have so much better start that it will go on and make a crop under condi- tions that would cause the other to fail. It appears also that grain on summer-tilled land, either by virtue of better root systems or because. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that ma
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