1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 49 



nected from the surface compressed by the plough sole and 

 the inverted surface. This is injurious to capillary action 

 for a long period ; and thus, during the dry season of the 

 year, the ploughing under of raw manure is followed by a 

 dryness of the workable soil which injures it for the recep- 

 tion of crops. This may be illustrated by the difficulty 

 realized in securing growth of strawberry plants that are 

 transplanted upon what is called a thoroughly prepared plot 

 in August, or upon land to which rather long manure has 

 been applied ; and the success which follows such trans- 

 planting when, by means of a roller, or by trampling, the 

 soil thus enriched or fined is closely compressed, and thus 

 brought into close capillary union with the lower undisturbed 

 soil. 



The theoretical conditions under which, with proper cli- 

 mate, the best plant growth takes place, for cultivated plants 

 at least, is the conjunction of the best physical condition of 

 the soil as regards relationship to water, and the permeability 

 to plant roots with sufficient fertility. Thus, in greenhouse 

 culture, the florist cannot use soil that is loose in the pots ; 

 but he carefully compresses it so as to bring the particles 

 into closer contact, and carefully avoids wetness during the 

 process so as not to puddle his soil, and thus render it im- 

 permeable to roots and too evaporative of water ; he uses 

 a mixture with sand, and crocks l^elow, in order to obtain 

 proper drainage and permeability to water. He seeks to ob- 

 tain those conditions whereby his soil shall never become 

 unduly wet with stagnant water, never unduly dry, always 

 permeable. In the larger culture of the garden and the field 

 the same conditions of soil are desirable, although too diffi- 

 cult to regulate so perfectly. We can, however, by our 

 processes and their proper timing, approximate sufficiently 

 towards this condition to secure a gain. 



We have thus far presented our illustrative facts, and the 

 thinking whereby we have connected them in a measure with 

 what we consider reasoned truths, adapted to practice and 

 verification. We have, however, dealt with what may be 

 called the mechanical consideration ; but we would not have 

 it inferred that this covers the whole field, for the chemical 

 consideration also is of some large importance. Professor 



