state: pomoi.ogical socikty. 



lo: 



These boxes were placed in the open, and protected from rain. 

 They were weighed at the beginning of the experiment and at 

 intervals for four days. The following results show the loss 

 in ounces from the original weight : 



Time. 



Sod. 



After 5 hours 

 After 1 day. . 

 After 3 days . 

 After 4 days . 



6 oz. 



8 " 

 18 " 

 25 " 



The total losses in water from the uncultivated, cultivated 

 and sod boxes were respectively lo, 5 and 25 ounces, or in 

 per cent of loss in relation to weight of soil 8, 4 and 21 per 

 cent respectively. 



The cultivated plot lost 2 ounces more than the uncultivated 

 during the first five hours. This was due to the evaporation of 

 moisture from the top layer forming the mulch. It lost no 

 more during the next 24 hours and only one ounce in the next 

 3 days, compared with 6 from the uncultivated box and 17 

 from the sod plot. Now, these boxes held but 37 per cent of 

 a cubic foot of soil. On the basis of these results an acre of 

 soil would lose from its first foot of depth the following amount 

 of water in 4 days : 



Uncultivated 36 7-10 tons 



Cultivated 18 4-10 tons 



In grass 91 8-10 tons 



When you remem.ber that almost 85 per cent of each apple 

 you see before you here consists of water you may gain a better 

 appreciation of the extent to which sod or lack of tillage in an 

 orchard robs the trees of the water necessary for the best devel- 

 opment of their fruits. And no account is here taken of the 

 immense amount of additional water that is daily needed by 

 thetrees themselves to perform their functions. 



I do not wish to leave with you the impression that all 

 orchards must be tilled, for there are too many in the State of 



