26o CROP PRODUCTION 



Improving Sandy Soils 



In the case of clay soils the particles are too fine for 

 the best results, so that it is necessary to give such treat- 

 ment as will have the effect of making the particles or 

 the spaces between them larger. In the case of sandy 

 soils, on the other hand, the trouble is quite the reverse. 

 The particles are so large that the spaces between them 

 allow the rapid running away of moisture, and the par- 

 ticles themselves are so hard that they do not absorb 

 moisture, and they afford very Httle nourishment to 

 the root hairs of plants. In improving such soils it is 

 necessary to treat them so that they will hold water 

 better and will have a larger proportion of organic 

 matter as a basis for plant food. 



With most sandy soils the chief method of improve- 

 ment is to increase the amount of humus by adding 

 large quantities of organic matter and plowing or spad- 

 ing it under. For this purpose barnyard manure, green 

 crops of clover, rye, vetch, or other plants, or the fallen 

 leaves of trees and shrubs serve very well. When any 

 of these materials is mixed with sandy soil, it soon 

 decays and furnishes vast numbers of particles of humus 

 that he between the particles of sand and help to make 

 the soil more mellow. The supply of moisture and 

 plant food is thus greatly increased, and the opportu- 

 nity for proper development of plant roots is improved. 

 Such treatment helps to make the soil much more 

 compact. 



