FINDING AND MAKING SOIL 207 



ter or straw or forkable compost and leaving this 

 stuff on, without stirring, all through the season's 

 growth. Generally the crop is cultivated once or 

 twice before the mulch is put on, or in some cases the 

 field is covered as soon as planted. I have tried this 

 plan with potatoes, covering with coarse hay or grass, 

 and the plants came up through the mulch with readi- 

 ness, while the yield was as good as it would have 

 been with constant cultivation. 



In this case irrigation is accomplished at the same 

 time that the work of cultivation is dispensed with. 

 The economy of the matter depends, of course, on 

 the result in the way of crops. The reports from 

 our experiment stations show that if mulch is applied 

 very early in the spring it prevents the ground from 

 being thoroughly warmed up, and this will check 

 vegetable growth. It was found unwise to mulch 

 onions and corn, but favorable results came from 

 mulching potatoes, beans, tomatoes, and vines. 



Direct irrigation has become a matter of immense 

 importance in the arid sections of the country, but 

 skilled gardeners know very well that it is just as 

 valuable in the Eastern States, where droughts are 

 irregular, but quite possible. Outside of the arid 

 section, the simplest method is to have a windmill, 

 lifting water from a deep well or pond or flowing 

 stream to a tank, from which the water is distributed 

 through troughs or pipe. 



Just as important as water, however, is air in the 

 soil. The roots of plants are only underground 



