Hugh - I would appreciate a step-by-step rundown. We moved into drought conditions last year and had the driest winter just about on record. Looks like being able to make rain could really come in handy. Best, Essie
At 11:55 PM 3/16/02 -0500, Hugh wrote: > >I envy those with the climate to grow un-irrigated corn. We are at the > harvest > >end of the corn season and have had 48 days straight with no rain and > >about nine > >points in 85 days. This is our dry season, but for a lot of important > parts of > >Oz it is their rainy season and many on this list are very short of rain. > > > >Gil > >Port Lincoln > >Dear Gil, > >You may not be out of the box. Here in Georgia I've found dry years are >preferable for my corn yields. I've had several years where I got six weeks >(42 days) of no rain and gotten killer corn crops with no irrigation. I >know farmers all around me were complaining, and the forests were on fire >on one occasion, but my corn wasn't twisting. Instead it was filling out to >the ends of the ears. I actually prefer dry years, especially early dry, >because in early dry years the weeds don't get off to much of a start and >the corn takes everything. > >I think the secret is getting the moisture to tie up inside the cell >membranes of living organisms in the soil. Then it doesn't evaporate or >sink, just is there. >As the protozoans dine off the azotobacters, baccilli, etc. the moisture is >released at the corn roots and the plants suck it up, despite no rain. As >long as corn gets its nutrients as the next thing to protoplasm it doesn't >have to waste moisture in transpiration. The leaves aren't doing the >protein chemistry, which requires water, only the sugar chemistry which >runs off of absorption of CO2. Then they need a lot less moisture and their >protoplasm is turgid and complete. > >48 days is a lot of time without rain. But I think maybe I could handle it >with a broadcaster and horn clay, horn silica and horn manure. We get dry >here, but six weeks is not uncommon and that has made my best corn crops. >But I guess I'm a little short of sunshine being in a narrow mountain >valley. But in your situation I don't think I'd give up hope. We're kind of >at the antipodes--almost like you but six months different. > >Making rain is another topic. Maybe my rain making is why after six weeks >and I get anxious about rain I've turned to rain making and gotten rain >instead of seven or eight weeks without any. > >I've gotten the impression this list is skeptical about my rain making >procedure. Believe me 501 really is an essential ingredient in making >rain, contrary to the Podolinsky wisdom. I like to do it radionically, so >not everyone can duplicate it, not having instruments. I don't find >sequential spraying quite as effective and it's much more work, though done >rightly it can be close to as good. I've used my irrigation once in the >past 12 years, many of which have been state-wide droughts in Georgia, so I >might just know something. Anyone interested in a run down? > >Best, >Hugh > >Best, > >Hugh Lovel
