88 



EGYPTIAN AGRICULTURE. 



of soil than plants with small roots, and are consequently 

 able to obtain more food and give larger crops. The 

 accompanying illustration is of two wheat plants of the 

 same age; the larger having been grown on soil which 

 had been better cultivated. The plant from the poorly 



KAI VUl/fl 



6. 



FIG. 7. ROOTS OF TWO WHEAT PLANTS OF THE SAME AGE, 

 SHOWING GREATER DEVELOPMENT (IN b) BY BETTER CULTIVATION. 



cultivated soil has smaller, less spreading roots and has 

 fewer smaller stems. 



The biological effects of tillage are that bacteria, 

 other organisms, and the plant roots are healthier and 

 more active, and in consequence more of the plant food 

 in the soil is dissolved for the feeding of the crop. The 



