410 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



How will iujiirious affects of drouth iu a corn and potato crop be best 

 avoided? 



Mr. Van Alstyne. — We cannot control the rain fall, but we may 

 conserve the moisture already in the soil by frequent shallow 

 cultivation which breaks up the surface cells in the soil and 

 leaves a dust blanket through which the moisture cannot escape. 

 Such cultivation pumps the moisture from below so that the 

 roots of plants can use it. Keep the cultivator going, but at a 

 shallow depth, not more than two inches at most. This for hoed 

 crops. Of course, it could not be followed on sown crops or 

 grass land. I am acquainted with a man who, by keeping his 

 cultivator going, grew over $400 worth of red raspberries on a 

 small plat last year. Had he not done that his crop would have 

 been a failure. 



A Farmer. — Thorough cultivation not only brings fertility from 

 the lower depth of the soil, but has an action on the atmosphere 

 which causes it to return fertility to the soil. 



Mr. Van Alstyne. — There has been found a very small per cent, 

 of nitrogen from the air, brought down by the dews and rains, 

 but it is but slight. There can be no mineral matter obtained in 

 this way, since there is none in the air. Potash and phosphoric 

 acid come from other sources. But we may gather nitrogen from 

 the air and return it to the soil through the growing of certain 

 legume crops, such as the clovers, cow peas, field peas and beans. 

 These plants have small modules on their roots, in which the 

 nitrogen is stored, thence transmitted to the soil, but we cannot 

 utilize this nitrogen, the mineral elements in the soil or that which 

 we apply, unless we have moisture to set them free, so that the 

 plants can take them in liquid form. So then, if we do not get 

 the moisture through the rain fall we must get it by surface cul- 

 tivation, as I before stated. 



Which is best, fall or spring plovrlng for the corn crop? 



Mr. Litchard. — Conditions will govern. On my land, I prefer 

 spring to fall plowing. 



