IDEAL FERTILIZERS 11 



the transpiration of the grass. Although the land is 

 so wet during rainy seasons the trees soon feel the effects 

 of a drouth, since the roots are necessarily so near the 

 surface. To help toward conserving the moisture, when 

 rains cease the grass should be mowed and left broad- 

 cast. By this, too, the natural humus content is kept 

 up and all fertilizer used by the grass, the most impor- 

 tant part of which (nitrates) would otherwise have 

 leached awa} T , is given back to the soil. Generally, irri- 

 gation is not used on these low lands, but some growers 

 contend that the benefits gained in a dry season more 

 than offset the expense. 



I suppose someone is asking if the grass helps to evapo- 

 rate the water from wet soils why does not the cover 

 crop make the dry soil drier? The cover crop has not 

 nearly so great a leaf surface as a heavy growth of grass ; 

 and, too, the grains of sand are such extremely good con- 

 ductors of heat the ground would soon be hot enough 

 to dry out the little soil moisture and to fairly burn the 

 tender roots were it not .for the shade afforded. Many 

 things in agriculture seem on the surface to be contra- 

 dictory, but a little study makes the matter plain. Heavy 

 applications of lime are almost sure to be needed on 

 low, wet soils. Any convenient form can be used. 



Other Soils Between these two extremes of grove cul- 

 ture there are all gradations. Each grower must decide 

 by actual results just what degree of cultivation applies 

 best to his circumstances; texture of soil, humus, and 

 moisture always receiving due consideration. 



