18 
BULLETIN 157, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Table VI. — Annual and average percentages of moisture in each of the first 6 feet of soil 
on cultivated and uncultivated fallow at the Nephi substation, samples taken in spring, 
summer, and fall, for the years 1909 to 1912, inclusive. 
FALLOW CULTIVATED NORMALLY. 
Depth of sampling. 
lfoot 
2 feet 
3 feet 
4 feet. 
5 feet 
Average . 
Date of determination. 
1909 
19.2216.35 
19.60jl9.65 
19.5019.50 
19. 40 ! 18. 90 
18. 20 i 18. 00 
20. 00 20. 30 
19.32 18.78 
17.15 
16.55 
i\s:, 
18.70 
18.05 
19.35 
18.11 
1910 
14.50 
18.20 
18.95 
19.33 
19.05 
19.30 
IS. 22 
16. 05 13. 53 
18. 80119. 35 
17.85|18.03 
19. 63118.68 
18.33 
IS. Ml 
18. 24 
19.15 
18.45 
18. 82 
19.69 
IS. 65 
14.95 
13.41 
17.44 
17. 16 
17.39 
19. 53 
19.63 
18.80 
20. 80 
17.60 
is.% 
12. 52 
17.74 
17.72 
16.56 
15.31 
17.89 
16. 29 
1912 
21.67 
22. 00 
20. 05 
13.32 
10.44 
15.85 
17.23 
14.07 
19.87 
18.47 
14.20 
10.95 
13.92 
15.25 
14.47 
18.88 
17.85 
Average. 
18.55 
19.89 
19.29 
14.1016.75 
12. 53! 15. 28 
13.54 
15.23 
17.' 
15.97 
19.46 
18.86 
17.88 
17.02 
17.66 
17.81 
14.42 
18.13 
18.11 
17.01 
16.26 
17.31 
16.87 
FALLOW NOT CULTIVATED. 
1 foot. . 
2 feet.. 
3 feet . . 
4 feet.. 
5 feet . . 
6 feet.. 
Average 
18.60 
19.30 
20.45 
19.35 
19.05 
20.57 
19.55 
65 12. 
si) 13. 
55 14. 
55 15. 
15 16. 
42 IS. 
3012.85 
2017.37 
15 19. 10 
16. 85 15. 00 
18. 93 
19. 35 
19. 10 
17.79 
10.45 
14.05 
13. 28 
13.80 
16.18 
16.63 
14.06 
8. 05 20. OO! 12. 83 9.61 
12.23120. 1614.9912.98 
11.78 
10.38 
13. 45 
15.33 
11.87 
17. 88 17. 08 
12. 03 14. 89 
11.1013.94 
13. 10 18. 11 
15.7115.31il.62 
12.2s 
11.61 
11.20 
12. 06 
20. 47 
20.75 
17.21 
10.83 
11.27 
14.17 
15.78 
10. 6S 
12. 36 
12.91 
11.35 
14.47 
15.76 
12. 92 
7.95 
11.46 
11.18 
10.74 
11.86 
12.27 
10.91 
17.98 
19.30 
18.66 
15.29 
15.19 
16.74 
17.20 
30 
11. 
14. 
14.96 
14.40 
15.69 
17.73 
14.79 
9.32 
12.47 
12.35 
12.00 
13.17 
14. 65 
12.34 
Table VI shows that the moisture content of the plats was practi- 
cally uniform in the spring, but that the differences increased 
as the season advanced. The moisture in the cultivated plat re- 
mained practically the same throughout the season, while that of 
the uncultivated plat rapidly decreased until by fall it was reduced 
to a comparatively low point. The first 4 feet seemed to lose more 
moisture than the fifth and sixth. These data are shown graphically 
in figures 9, 10, and 11. The fact that the moisture content of the 
second, third, and fourth feet of the uncultivated plat was reduced 
practically as much as on any of the cropped plats sampled suggests 
that a great deal of the moisture loss from the uncultivated plat was 
due to the growth of weeds and volunteer grain. 
YIELD OF GRAIN. 
The difference in the soil-moisture content of the plats, as shown 
in Table VI and figures 9, 10, and 11, is reflected in the yields obtained. 
These are reported in Table VII and are compared graphically in 
figure 12. It will be noticed that there is a difference of 4 bushels 
per acre in the average yield for the four years in favor of the culti- 
vated plats. This difference is more than enough to pay for the cul- 
tivation of the fallow. 
