30 AGRICULTURE 



natural condition, may become most useful 

 for cultural purposes if steps are taken to 

 increase the stock of decomposing vegetable 

 matter in it. 



As the outcome of experience, methods of 

 cultivation have been adopted whereby this 

 property of soil is utilized to the fullest extent. 

 When seed is deposited in a field or garden, 

 and is covered with an inch, more or less, of 

 soil, it is desirable that it shall without loss 

 of time be sufficiently supplied with water, 

 so that no delay shall occur in germination. 

 By rolling land after the seed is sowed, or by 

 compressing a seed-bed with the back of a 

 spade, the cultivator brings the particles of 

 soil on and near the surface of the ground 

 closer together, and thus, by diminishing 

 the interstices in the soil, increases the 

 property of capillarity. As a result, water 

 rises from the subsoil right up to the surface 

 of the ground, and in its passage comes into 

 contact with the seed, which by absorbing 

 moisture undergoes the changes which 

 collectively result in what is called germina- 

 tion. It is true that by inducing the water 

 to mount to the surface of the ground a 

 certain proportion escapes into the air and 

 is lost to the crop, but such loss is inseparable 

 from the advantages that are gained in pro- 



