CHAPTER II 



HOW THE ROOT GETS FOOD FROM THE SOIL 



How does the root get water? At first all plants 

 lived in the sea, and there was no problem of water. 

 But now plants grow even in the driest soil. From 

 such soil a very large tree must take several barrels 

 of water every day in order to live. How does it 

 manage to get so much? 



How is water held in dry soils? Not in the form of 

 drops, as you can see by spreading out a little moist 

 soil, or better, gravel, on paper. When first spread out, 

 each little particle will glisten if the soil or gravel is 

 moist enough. This is because there is a thin film of 

 moisture on the surface of each particle. But this 

 appearance does not last long, for the film of moisture 

 quickly evaporates. This thin film of water on the 

 surface of each particle is all the water there is in such 

 soil. There are no drops of water for the plant to drink 

 up. The particles, are tiny water reservoirs which the 

 plant must seek out and draw water from. This is the 

 work of the root. 



What the root does. To find moister soil the root 

 should go down, and this it always does. Place it in 



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