CONSERVATION OF MOISTURE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1031, 21 January 1911, Page 10

CONSERVATION OF MOISTURE.

Tliere is; ample'*evidence that, the efforts of, the seieiitiilc and experimenting ■ agri-'culturistS'-to develop something;-valuable, in tile way of. conserving inojsture rin sou nave; caught tlio , interest-of almost every farming-icommunity -of' ,she world. .-•;yl'or some timo;dry farming : was talked of and ' writtcn'abouty' without' stirring up enthusiasm, but as the movements grew, interest followed,' and . no'W:' that success seems to bo in sight ruralites aro looking for. information about, the new ideas: ■;/ ' v " •' ;' - ; .l)rj farming., seems- to' have heen. accepted'-, as.: an ■'■established . Jprihcipli . of: ngriculturo' to , : be , applied under certain .'circumstances;, and a:few days ago there appeared on this page, of The Dominion'. a .scientist's reasons for . why lie .advised farmers to.-lcoep' tlio - top soil stirred.. Another, scientist. presumes to reckon , that the rainfall can bo coutrollcd and regulated by electricity, but it is looking, at sojnothing nearer homo to study ■ what has actually, been done by farmers .in Australia.',' " ' ' ■ ' ■ ; "!• -In-'# recent, Australian paper»appeared the following from a Dnbbo correspondent:—"A good deal of attention has been , directed ■ lately in this district to the subject of fallow, and - a number of ,in- : foresting facts ..have'.been brought.:, tol light in consequenco of . the; interest aroused. Lately the question was put to~Mr. 5.,,J. : ' Lay&'ack,.-'Could'anything beOdono Ho' conserve, the 1 splendid rains: which fell, this 1 ..December ?','\ His roply, was to point to'a ten-acro'paddock, whichlast .year he ploughed just after-a raiii; of_four .inches in January. It had previously yielded a crop of' 50 bushels of; Algerian, oats. In" March lie ploughed again, and'sowed Manitoba iyheat, which: is considered delicate in the west; Tho. result was it germinated early, and car-, riecl between seven and eight bags to tlio acre, llr.'Laverack, of course, saved the January rain, and . stored it, with tlio; result .shown; Mr. J. Morris, Junior, at| ■ BelgrriviaV ploughed after heavy rains in March, and- sowed' between April 21 and' 28. 1 His', early Wheat actually only.- had live ■ inches of rain while growing,- the November" and- December rains- coming ; too :]ato crops, but lie - garnered.;'four"'i'bags>it6 acre'.''" Mr;Morris's remark'''was,- f'^'li^t, .a;, small, quantity of; rain., it. js:p,ossibjo't'o get'.a crop , on,', but his, five incFes''have to be supplemented by - tho. four-inches, in Marchv. which he practically,«conserved; and impressed by 'this He "liow 'declares .that this' year !he will fallow • properly.' 'The question-'ds -at- least, .worth asking, What'wbnlH' have' been 'Jlr.' Morris's: crop had he ploughed in:. January?. ;That fino "rain""was"lost""by "many .farmers in- this district, but the. number of -those, becoming interested; in. the' subject is. increasing,. which is something." -.