120 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



in connection with this a great many foolish rules are observed, as for 



instance — 



Go plant the bean when the moon is light, 

 And you will find that this is right ; 

 Plant the potatoes when the moon is dark, 

 And to this line you always hark ; 

 But if you vary from this rule, 

 You will find you are a fool. 



Rather, the fools are those who observe such rules. Instead of 

 thus consulting the moon — 



Better it is to rise betimes 

 And make hay while the sun shines, 

 Than to believe in tales and lies 

 Which idle monks and friars devise. 



ECONOMY OF MOISTURE. 



Although the amount of rain cannot be controlled nor the time of 

 its coming foretold with much certainty, even a few days only in ad- 

 vance, yet something may be done in the way of economizing it when 

 it does come. This may be done by deep plowing and subsoil plowing, 

 by which the moisture of all light showers is retained where it falls and 

 is most needed, and does not run away from a smooth and hard sur'ace 

 soil and collect in low grounds where it is not so much needed, or per- 

 haps be entirely carried away by creeks and rivers to the ocean. This 

 subject has recently received considerable attention from Mr. E. R. 

 Hilton in the sixth biennial report of the State Board of Agriculture 

 of Kansas, who looks at the matter from the standpoint of the surface 

 soil and subsoil, and his view of this matter seems plausible. As much 

 of the rain received being retained in the top soil and subsoil as pos- 

 sible, he thinks this may be economized by keeping the top soil loose 

 all the time, so that the water can not rise freely by capillary attraction 

 to the surface, where it is rapidly evaporated and lost. If the top soil 

 is kept loose the water rises mostly below, where the soil is compact 

 and the capillaries are small, until it comes up to where the soil is loose 

 at and near the top, but does not rise freely through the loose top stra- 

 tum. It therefore rises up to where it is received by the roots of the 

 plants, but not much of it comes to the surface, where it is evaporated 

 and carried off. But if the top soil is allowed to become compact, the 

 water rises to the top and is evaporated and lost. According to this 

 theory it is important not only to keep the surface of corn-fields, 

 vineyards and orchards free from weeds, which take up the moisture, 

 but even to keep continually stirring the top soil to keep it loose, espe- 

 cially immediately after each rain, which compacts the soil. He says : 



