216 THE LURE OF THE LAND 



fine grains of clay being held together and in contact 

 with the larger grains of sand. This flocculated mass 

 quickly settles and is originally not so easily disturbed 

 and carried off by moving water. A field treated with 

 an abundance of lime is thus less easily washed by 

 heavy rains. The results of investigations by Schulze, 

 Schloesing, and Hilgard have shown in a most emphatic 

 way the beneficial changes which take place, especially 

 in stiff clay soils, by the application of lime. 



EFFECT OF LIME ON PHYSICAL CONDITION. 



" The change in the physical condition of the soil 

 which is produced by the lime, and which is likewise 

 produced by a number of other chemicals ordinarily 

 used in commercial fertilizers, is another important 

 factor worthy of consideration. A stiff clay soil is 

 practically impervious to the penetration of surface 

 water when it is delivered in such torrents as we are 

 liable to have in our summer storms. A well-limed 

 soil, on the contrary, although it may contain as much 

 clay but in which the particles are flocculated or drawn 

 together, is much more pervious to water, and the 

 amount of water which the soil will carry down through 

 under-drainage is increased, and the excess which has 

 to flow off over the surface is diminished. The surface 

 washing of cultivated fields, especially those which are 

 naturally deficient in lime, can be greatly diminished, 

 therefore, by the free application of this substance to 

 them. 



" A number of the ordinary fertilizing materials 

 have an important effect upon the texture of soils and 

 upon the permeability of soils to water, but few sys- 

 tematic investigations have been carried on in this line 

 and not much, except of local importance, has been 



