64 COMPANION TO TROPICAL READERS 



TILLAGE 



(See Tropical Readers, Book II, pp. 89-92.) 



Expt. 112. Value of Tillage. Prepare a bed in the 

 School Garden, with one half well tilled and the other 

 hard and untilled. Grow an equal number of similar 

 plants (say fifty corn plants) in each half, and observe 

 the better growth and larger yield from the plants in 

 the tilled soil. 



Expt. 113. Roots develop more extensively in a 

 Well-tilled Soil. Carefully uproot young plants from 

 the tilled and untilled portions of the bed mentioned 

 above and observe the larger development of roots 

 on those in the former. Make drawings of the root 

 systems, showing the comparative extent of growth in 

 each instance. 



Expt. 114. Water is more readily absorbed in a 

 Well-tilled Soil. Pour a bucket of water on to a 

 hardened roadway, and observe how much of it runs 

 off; pour another bucket of water on to a well-tilled 

 bed, and observe that it is readily absorbed. 



Expt. 115. A Loose Surface (or Earth Mulch) aids 

 in retaining Water in the Soil. 



(a) Notice that on a sunny afternoon the surface of 

 a well-prepared bed always looks dry. This is due to 

 the fact that there is little escape of moisture from 

 underground. 



(b) To show that there is water below the dry- 

 looking surface, step firmly on the middle of the bed. 

 Return in two hours, and observe that where the soil 

 was compressed the conditions were made suitable for 

 the rise of water (by capillary action), and the soil 

 has become damp. 



