The Storage and Use of Soil Moisture 
7 
time in the drier sections of the country. Altho this method 
of utilizing moisture is seemingly an exceedingly wasteful one, it 
is probably the best one devised for some crops, soils, and cli- 
matic conditions. It is obvious that it will hardly be profitable 
to summer till a shallow soil, for in such soils the effect of culti- 
vation is of little value in storing water. Where there is a layer 
of hardpan, gravel, rock, or sheet water close to the surface, the 
amount of water which the shallow layer of soil above this 
stratum will hold is so limited that probably one good rain would 
saturate it. It is useless, therefore, to keep it clean cultivated 
thru an entire season for the purpose of storing water. Crops 
grown on this type of soil are almost entirely dependent on 
seasonal rainfall because of the very limited amount of water 
which so shallow a soil can hold. We cannot store sufficient 
water in so shallow a soil to carry the crop thru a long dry spell. 
As soon as the moisture stored in the soil is used, crops will 
suffer or die, according to the duration of the drouth. On the 
deeper soils, however, which prevail over the greater portion of 
the central and western part of the State, it is possible under 
normal weather conditions to store a considerable amount of 
moisture as a safeguard to the crop against drouth. 
Where it is not desired to summer till, the same principles 
should always be applied. The preparation of the seed bed for a 
crop should begin as soon as the preceding crop is off the ground. 
Usually, the longer the seed bed is prepared and kept in proper 
condition, the greater is the amount of water stored. The seed 
bed will also be firmer and in better condition for the crop. 
Judgment must always be used in doing the work. If a soil is 
inclined to blow, keeping the surface bare and cultivated for 
any considerable time might be detrimental. If the soil is 
heavier, it can be cultivated with a clean surface without danger. 
If the soil is so dry that plowing requires an extra amount of ex- 
pensive labor, it is probably better to disk. All of these, to- 
gether with available horse power and help and the amount of 
urgent work on hand, are local problems which only the farmer 
can solve. Too much labor put on a field may be unprofitable. 
The aim should be to use such tools and do the work at such a 
time as to obtain maximum water storage and a compact seed 
bed with the lowest expenditure of labor. 
The principles of storing water may be summarized in a few 
sentences. The surface should be kept in condition to catch the 
rains. It should be cultivated to keep it loose and rough, thus 
reducing evaporation and preventing blowing. The weeds should 
