250 THE FARMER OF TO-MORROW 



ing the soil in good tilth, as the saying goes, 

 in other words, maintaining the most favorable 

 condition for the movement both of gravita- 

 tional and capillary water. These two factors 

 are adjusted to a great extent by accepted 

 methods of cultivation and drainage, while, 

 on the other hand, the action of the waters of 

 hydration and hygroscopic water are largely 

 beyond the control of man. The movement of 

 capillary water is influenced by cultivation, 

 which conserves moisture, by establishing a 

 dry mulch as a cover to the soil to prevent 

 the escape of the water burdened with its food 

 particles and holds it for use by the roots of 

 plants. 



How much of a factor the blowing of soils 

 may be in altering their composition and 

 texture is difficult to determine. It is safe to 

 assume that it is much more important in all 

 climates than is usually imagined. In the 

 Great Plains area, under peculiar conditions, 

 the blowing of soils is such an important factor 

 that efforts are now being made to acclimatize 

 trees to form wind-breaks. On the Mary- 

 land peninsula, where many of the roads are 

 constructed of crushed limestone, farms ad- 

 jacent to highways never get "sour" which 



