38 



HORTICULTURE 



LECT. JI 



capillary attraction. But the cultivator may keep much 

 of it in the soil by maintaining a loose surface, or mulch- 

 ing. Turn again to Fig. 2, page 32. In the trenching 

 section (3) the capillary tubes (a) are closed by a loose 



FIG. 5. SOIL AMELIORATION. 



or mulched surface ; in the digging section (6) no such 

 precautions are taken ; the surface is left unmoved, 

 shrinkage following, with the consequent cracks and 

 fissures through which the moisture escapes (as indi- 



