14 AGRICUIvTURS OF MAINE. 



to suffer quickly if dry weather comes. When rooting more 

 deeply they can draw moisture from greater depths, hence suffer 

 less. Underdraining may also lessen washing of land, since in 

 a heavy rain water will enter the soil more quickly and a larger 

 quantity be taken up before it begins to run away from the 

 surface. 



Good tillage is a second method of improving texture. This 

 is accomplished both by pulverizing and deepening the soil. The 

 plow is the most important implement of tillage. Its primary 

 object is to pulverize and crumble the soil. For this reason the 

 plow with a steep mouldboard, which turns the furrow sharply, 

 is the type to be chosen. Merely inverting a furrow and laying 

 it smooth and straight does not constitute good plowing. Grad- 

 ually deepening the furrows from year to year, turning up each 

 time a little soil which never saw the light before, will improve 

 the conditions for plant-growth. A secondary effect of tillage 

 may be that of hastening the drying and warming of the soil in 

 early spring. 



Adding vegetable matter, or humus, to the soil, is the most 

 important means of improving texture. This is nature's method. 

 She first breaks down the rock, then grows some plant in it, poor 

 though it may be. This plant decays and furnishes opportunity 

 for a better one, until at last the forest crowns the scene. 

 Humus is important for a number of reasons, i. It improves 

 the physical condition of the soil, making it dark colored and 

 mellow. 2. It adds plant-food. 3. It increases the water- 

 holding capacity. 4. It modifies extremes of temperature. 5. 

 It facilitates entrance of air. 6. It stores up nitrogen and 

 prevents loss by leaching. 7. By its decay it supplies nitrogen 

 and renders available phosphoric acid and potash in the soil. 

 8. It affords food for beneficial soil organisms. Its importance 

 in affording a storehouse for nitrogen, thereby preventing the 

 waste of this expensive element, and in increasing the moisture 

 capacity of the soil, can scarcely be over estimated. 



How can this humus be obtained? First, by the addition of 

 stable manure. In market gardens where large quantities of 

 manure are used, this means alone is sufficient to maintain the 

 texture of the soil, but in farm operations the supply is too 

 small. Plowing under a growing crop will rapidly increase the 



