CHAPTER VIII 



TILLING THE SOIL 



Tillage. Tillage stands next in importance to fer- 

 tilization, and with many soils it is even more impor- 

 tant. Tillage is here meant to include both the prep- 

 aration of the soil before planting and, with the crops 

 that admit of it, the cultivation of the crop after it is 

 planted. 



Effect on Roots. As we have learned, the plant is 

 fed by its roots that penetrate the soil in every direc- 

 tion. These feeding roots are very small and work 

 their way between the soil particles, gathering up the 

 dissolved food and passing it into the plant. If the 

 soil is coarse and lumpy these little rootlets cannot get 

 at the food locked up in the lumps, but can feed only 

 upon their surface. Proper preparation of the soil 

 will break up these lumps, pulverize them, and allow 

 the roots of the plants to get at the food matter which 

 they contain. Again, water cannot easily dissolve 

 plant foods in lumpy ground. , Stirring the soil will 

 hasten the solution of this food matter. These facts 

 may be easily shown by experiment. 



How Solids Dissolve. Throw a handful of fine salt 



