66 CAMPBELL'S SOIL CULTURE MANUAL 



eral or branch root very largely magnified. The little 

 branches running out from the center represent the little 

 hair roots or feeders which are often so small that they 

 are scarcely perceptible to the naked eye. These little 

 feeders are neither more nor less than little tubes, or. 

 elongated cells. You will notice in the outer tier of cells 

 each little feeder practically forms a part of the cell. The 

 soil where this root is located is represented to be that 

 ideal condition of fineness and firmness previously referred 

 to, a condition that means so much to any plant, not 

 only to sustain it in a healthy, growing condition, during 

 critical drouthy conditions, but to promote a strong, 

 healthy, rapid growth during the ideal climatic condi- 

 tions. 



In cut No. 7, we represent a coarser or less compacted 

 soil. Here the lateral root is only able to send out two 

 little feeders, This condition is very serious. We have 

 examined roots many times and found them three, four, 

 and five inches in length, with scarcely a hair root or 

 feeder the entire distance. Then coming, possibly, to 

 the packed soil beneath a horse-foot track, we would find 

 a complete net-work of little feeders running in every 

 direction. The one great reason for this greatly increased 

 number of feeders in the packed soil is the fact of its 

 ideal physical condition with its perfectly balanced ration 

 of plant foods, just what the little rootlets go out after 

 when they start from the newly germinated seed. Just 

 keep your mind on this one fact, not only in the study of 

 this Manual, but in your field work and observation. 



MAKING THE SEED BED. 



It is hardly possible to put too much stress upon the 

 point of thoroughly pulverizing and packing the seed 

 bed. Probably the strongest or most complete practical 



