52 TALKS ABOUT THE SOIL. 



of water in a saucer, and then pour carefully into the 

 saucer about a cupful of the dry sand. It becomes 

 wet round the bottom of the little heap while, still dry 

 at the top ; soon the water appears to creep up the 

 sand, and in a short time it is all wet, and it remains 

 wet as long as there is water in the saucer. 



These experiments show us that sand is not affected 

 by heat, and that it keeps heat for some time ; that 

 water passes through it readily, and, if clean, the water 

 passes through the sand pure and clean. When wet 

 it is very slightly sticky, when dry this stickiness dis- 

 appears completely. In water it sinks the moment 

 the water is at rest. Water will rise through it easily 

 by capillary attraction. 



Another experiment, taking more time, is to place 

 some clean sand in a flower-pot or saucer, wet it, and 

 then sprinkle over it fine grass-seeds, water-cress, 

 spinach, or other small seeds. Place in a warm room, 

 and the seeds will soon sprout, and send small roots 

 down into the wet sand. 



These simple experiments also show some of the 

 characteristics of all soils composed largely of sand. 

 We observed that sand when heated retained its heat 

 for some time. Any soil having a large proportion of 

 sand, when warmed by the sun, will keep the heat 

 after the sun has set or is hid by clouds. It is there- 

 fore a warm soil for plants, and favorable to their 

 growth. The watermelon and other heat-loving plants 

 grow well in a sandy soil. We proved that water will 

 flow quickly through it. A sandy soil is therefore a 



