New Series, Supplement to December, 1905- 



421 



cultivated 

 the brick. 



taming water. Call the plate the 

 water-table. In about half an 

 hour see if the water has started 

 toward the top of the brick. 

 Look again after an hour and 

 at two hours. At last observe 

 how much time passes before the 

 water reaches the top. 



The same thing may be shown 

 in another way. Tie some cheese- 

 cloth over the bottom of a lamp 

 chimney and fill the chimney 

 with common sand. Set it into a 

 plate of water, which will cor- 

 respond to the water-table. The 

 water runs uphill much faster 

 through the sand than through 

 the brick. 



A plant could get a drink 

 quicker and more of it by means 

 of the sand than by means of the 

 brick. You may now see one 

 of the reasons why plants are 

 more comfortable in a loose, well 

 soil like the sand — than in a hard, uncultivated one — like 



How water climhs through sand. 



