CONSERVATION OF MOISTURE 207 



vantages accruing from the tilling of the soil have been 

 fully appreciated. 



Tillage may be performed by the use of a plow, cultivator, 

 harrow, spade, hoe, rake, or any drag which tends to break 

 up clods and pulverize the surface of the soil. Ordinarily, 

 the terms tilling and cultivating are synonymous. The wise 

 farmer cultivates the soil after each rain, as soon as the surface 

 dries sufficiently, in order to preserve the moisture. 



References : 



1. 1601 : 157-162. Capacity of Soils to Hold Moisture. 



2. 1601 : 192-194. Cultivation and Harrowing. 



3. 1605 : 87-88. Dry-land Farming. 



4. 1605 : 165-166. Methods in Tilling. 



5. Farmers' Bulletin No. 245 : 6-7. Soil Moisture and Humus. 



6. Farmers' Bulletin No. 266. Cultivation to Retain Moisture 



in the Soil. 



a. 1603 : 6-9. Tillage of the Soil Origin of the Term. 



6. 1604:60-72. Field Laborers. 



c. 1606 : 50-56. How the Moisture-holding Capacity may be 



Increased. 



d. 1606 : 64-72. Tillage of the Soil. 



e. 1608:56-57. Benefits, Advantages, and Methods of 



Tillage. 



/. 1610 : 47-49. Tillage, Fall Plowing, and Subsoil Plowing. 

 g. 1611 : 60-69. Tillage, and How it is Performed. 

 h. 1612 : 96-98. The Increase of the Water-holding Content. 



149. CONSERVATION OF MOISTURE TILLING 



Water is lost from the soil by evaporation from the surface 

 of the ground, and from the surface of plants growing in the 

 soil. While this evaporation from the crops cannot be pre- 

 vented, and it is not to be desired, yet by the removal of weeds 

 we can prevent a large unnecessary evaporation. As far as 



