498 Agricultural Exi-euiment Station, Ithaca, N. Y. 



the soil, which is the great store-house for nitrogen and moisture. 

 An herbage mulch can rarely be used in farm areas, however. 



19. Underdrains act beneficially in making soils porous above 

 them and thus increasing their permeability, and in removing 

 the free water and thus allowing the access of air, which is as 

 necessary as moisture. 



20. Lime, gypsum and salt are all used as conservers of mois- 

 ture. An application of lime seems to have a beneficial effect on 

 heavv clav and on light sand. It also acts favorably on marshy, 

 sour lands. 



21. Grasses and grains should be grown on clay and loamy 

 soils, leaving sandy and gravelly lands for cultivated crops. 

 The humus of tilled lands may be kept up by barn manures and 

 by green manuring. 



22. The space between the trees in orchards should be left free 

 for tillage. A growing crop makes such a demand upon the sup- 

 piy of moisture that the trees may be seriously injured. 



23. ]3eterminations of soil moisture may be easily made by 

 anyone. The importance of this line of work is called to the 

 attention of granges, farmers' clubs and horticultural societies. 



21. The importance of thorough tillage to conserve moisture 

 cannot be made too emphatic. Deficiency in rainfall with in- 

 tensified agriculture is preferable to abundant rains and neglect 

 by the cultivator. The soil will respond in a large measure ac- 

 cording to the treatment it receives. Neglect it and it will fail 

 to bring forth liberal increase, but cultivate intelligently aud 



thoroughly and it responds quickly. 



L. A. CLINTON. 



