66 



The soil cmd the plant 



ment 30 cubic centimetres of water were poured on to 

 50 grams of soil but only 10 cubic centimetres passed 

 through, but when an equal amount was poured on to 50 

 grams of sand no less than 20 cubic centimetres passed 

 through. Very sandy soils, therefore, possess less 

 power of storing water than do soils with more clay 

 or mould in them, such as loams, clays or black soils. 



Fig. 30. 

 Water can rise upwards in soil. 

 It can, in fact, travel in any 

 direction, from wet to dry 

 places 



Further, water has a wonderful power of passing 

 from wet places to dry places in the soil. Tie a piece 

 of muslin over the end of a tube and fill with dry soil, 

 tapping it down as much as you can, then stand the 

 tube in water as in Fig. 30. Fill another with sand 



