490 Agricultural Experiment Station, Ithaca, N. Y. 



now, the soil is left in this condition, it has been put in the best 

 possible form for parting with its moisture, and it will take ad- 

 vantage of the opportunity unless prevented by establishing a 

 surface mulch. In seeding land in a dry time the soil should 

 be rolled in order to bring suflScient moisture to the seeds to 

 insure germination. Where circumstances will permit, the 

 roller should be followed by a smoothing harrow that the sur- 

 face mulch may be restored and the moisture stopped before 

 reaching the atmosphere (Fig. 144). On clay lands the roller 

 must be used with much caution. If used immediately after 

 grain is sown, and a heavy rain following, there would be dan- 

 ger of the soil becoming so compact on the surface that the 

 tender shoots would be unable to get through, and the most 

 direct connection would be established between the soil moisture 

 and the air. A good method of treatment for clay is to roll 

 before the seed is sown, then harrow and make a good seed-bed, 

 and then drill in the grain. After the plants are well up the 

 roller may be used again, which will bring the water to the 

 surface, where the growing plants can make use of it before 

 it passes off by evaporation. 



Herbage mulches. — The covering of the soil by a mulch of leaves 

 or decaying vegetable matter is nature's way of conserving 

 moisture and of restoring fertility to the soil. Go to any forest 

 where the leaves have not been burned annually and notice the 

 mulch which covers the soil (Fig. 145). The soil will be found 

 to be moist and loose. Humus has been stoi-ed up and the 

 covering of leaves prevents the escape of the moisture by sur- 

 face evaporation. Many persons conclude that because nature 

 tills by mulching, man should do the same, but the conclusion 

 is fallacious. Farm areas are too open and to much exposed 

 to searching winds to allow of the good results which nature 

 obtains in the seclusion and coolness of the forest. Even our 

 largest orchards do not give us forest conditions. This herbage 

 mulch also induces shallow rooting of trees, as sod land does 

 (see Bulletin 102). In most farm lands, also, it is necessary to 

 plow or move the land at least once a year in order to sow the 

 seed and harvest the crop, and this would destroy an herbage 

 mulch. Aside from all this, it is impossible, except in very 



