breaking until some are found which 

 break with but slight report, leaving 

 no jagged edges. Branches which 

 bend and double are too young, those 

 that break, leaving splintered edges 

 are too old. 



With a sharp knife, cut stems off 

 just below the bud. Some five inches 

 from this bud cut the stem above a 

 bud. 



Fill a box with about three inches 

 of moist sand. With a pencil or a 

 stick, make holes in the sand and 

 into these insert the cuttings some 

 two inches, leaving at least two buds 

 exposed. Be careful not to bruise 

 the stems in inserting. Pack the 

 sand around the cuttings and to in- 

 sure close contact between sand and 

 stems pour a small stream of water 

 directly on the cuttings so that the 

 water will wash close against the 

 stems. Use a small tin can with a 

 hole made by a shingle nail. 



A few days later, if a stem is grow- 

 ing black, or is shrinking, replace 

 with a fresh cutting. As to later 

 watering, sprinkle with a spray or 

 something which throws a fine 

 stream. The cuttings must not be 

 disturbed. Keep the sand moist but 

 not soaked. 



When the buds begin to appear, 

 carefully break off all but the one at 

 the top thus concentrating the 

 growth. 



With the forming of two or three 

 leaves to each stem, the cuttings 

 may be transplanted or potted. 



KINDS OF SOIL 



The best soil for farm and gar- 

 den crops is a mixture of clay and 

 sand called loam. It is called a 

 sandy loam or a clay loam depend- 

 ing on whether there is more sand 

 or more clay. Which type of loam 

 do you think will retain moisture bet- 

 ter? Why? 



Both sand and clay are formed by 

 the breaking down of rocks, that is, 

 they are of mineral origin. Humus 

 is partly decayed vegetable matter 

 from leaves, stubble, etc. Its pres- 

 ence is necessary in good farming 

 land because it helps a sandy soil 

 to retain moisture and makes a clay 



soil more open and free to work, 

 preventing its packing down too hard 

 The rich prairie soils contain a 

 large amount of humus, which has 

 been formed by the decaying vege- 

 tation. Farms which have been 

 tilled a long time are apt to have 

 their humus used up. It is very nec- 

 essary for farmers to keep up the 

 supply in their fields by applying 

 barnyard manure or by plowing un- 

 der green crops. 



* * * 

 HOW WATER RISES IN THE SOIL 



Water rises in the soil just as the 

 oil in a lamp rises through the wick. 

 The wick is full of little' tubes called 

 capillaries, and so is the soil, and 

 the water rises through these. 



If a little kerosene or gasoline is 

 put into a bottle and the bottle filled 

 with soil, the oil will rise, and if 

 lighted, will burn on the surface. 

 When the water rises to the surface 

 of the soil it evaporates. 



Evaporation from the soil is going 

 on all the time when it is not rain- 

 ing. The soil soon dries out if some- 

 thing is not done to prevent it. Cov- 

 ering the soil with a light mulch pre- 

 vents evaporation. Cultivating cr 

 loosening the surface of the soil 

 soon after a rain serves the same 

 purpose. Cultivating breaks the small 

 tubes, so that they are unable to 

 bring the water to the surface. 



A soil that contains much humus 

 (that is, vegetable matter) catches 

 and holds more water than one that 

 contains but little humus. Such soil 

 also holds moisture longer in dry 

 weather. Plenty of barnyard manure 

 applied to the soil helps to retain 

 moisture, but chemical fertilizers are 

 of little aid in retaining moisture, al- 

 though valuable as feeders of plants. 





