.EOT. ii THE SOIL 31 



bod and heavier material must be added to increase 

 ts retentiveness ; if waterlogged it is poisoned, because 

 ir is excluded. 



Sandy soil must be made more retentive of moisture 

 y the addition of a heavier medium or it cannot hold 

 utriment for crops to feed on, and the virtues of 

 lanure slip away. Clay, or very strong soil, dried 

 nd smashed into small particles, is admirable for im- 

 roving the texture of light sandy or brashy land, 

 nd far better than applying the clay in raw lumps. 

 Vet soils must be drained or the manure added to 

 lem will be wasted, for it cannot be used in the 

 bsence of warmth and air. 



Draining Land. Wet land is cold because tho 

 iin's rays are employed, not in warming the soil, bufc 



evaporating the water. If a pint of water is eva- 

 orated from 100 Ibs. of soil the land is left ten 

 egrees colder than it would be if the water passed 

 way by nitration. When the earth is full of water 



is practically sealed against air ; when the water 

 asses away it gives place to air, fifteen pounds of 

 rhich presses on every square inch of surface. It 



feared that too many cultivators fail to appreciate 

 tie value of warm moist air in the soil. It is not only 

 aluable but immeasurably the most important of all 

 gents in promoting growth. Is it necessary to say 

 lore on the paramount importance of aiding the es- 

 ipe of water by filtration from land through which 



does not sink freely in a natural manner? When 



does so pass away artificial drainage is super- 



1OUS. 



Then thought must be exercised in digging and 

 jepening land. " Dig deep to find the gold," may 



* a golden maxim, but to prove its truth the 

 ]>rk must be done intelligently. There are three 

 tfcinctly recognized methods of working the land, 



