ABSORBENT POWER OF SOILS. 133 



loam thus treated will absorb about 2 per cent, of moisture 

 from the atmosphere in a night of 12 hours. In dry sea- 

 sons this quality of the soil is very useful in restoring the 

 moisture which was lost during the day and that which has 

 been exhaled by the plants and this is usually more than 

 is lost directly by evaporation from the soil. 



Different soils possess this property in very unequal de- 

 grees. Thus it has been found that 1000 Ibs. of 



Quartz sand will gain nothing. 



Limestone sand gains 2 pounds. 



Sandy loam soil gains 21 " 



Clay loam soil gains 25 " 



Pure clay gains 27 " 



Peat gains 80 " 



This last figure should not be passed by without calling 

 attention to the value in this respect of a large admixture 

 of decayed peat or swamp muck to all kinds of soil. The 

 author has found that the addition of 100 loads of swamp 

 muck, well composted with quick lime, per acre, spread up- 

 on very light sandy soil, saved a crop of corn from injury 

 during a very dry season, in which the corn upon adjacent 

 land not so treated, curled and wilted and made no more 

 than half an ordinary yield of ears and fodder. The corn 

 dressed with the compost remained dark green in color; 

 and never curled on the hottest days, while the adjoining 

 rows of com were dry and yellow. The most fertile soils 

 possess this property to the largest extent, hence the farmer 

 who cultivates his soil and treats it in the most liberal man- 

 ner secures the highest recompense for his labor. 



Soils also vary in their capacity to retain water. If wat- 

 er be poured drop by drop upon a piece of dry clay the in- 

 terstices of the hard clod will be gradually filled with water 

 and then will hold no more. At length the drops will fall 

 from the bottom of it us they fall on to the top of it. All 

 sorts of soil possess this property to some extent. The rains 

 fall and are quickly drank in by the pores or interstices of 

 the soil and are there firmly held until the w r ater is driven 

 off by long continued heat and exposure to hot dry air. 

 But after long continued rains the soil is saturated and the 



