AMELIORATION OF LAND 77 



popularly understood, is converted into a 

 latent condition, to be withdrawn from the 

 opportunity of exerting its immediate influ- 

 ence on soil and plants. 



Land that is drained is raised in tempera- 

 ture, owing to the fact that rain-water, 

 which previously could only escape by flowing 

 over the surface, can now percolate through 

 the soil, and such water, being often com- 

 paratively warm, tends to raise the tempera- 

 ture of the soil through which it passes. It 

 has been found that water affects soil some- 

 what differently in summer as compared 

 with winter, the temperature of wet land 

 being relatively lower in summer than in 

 winter, in other words, the presence of water 

 tends somewhat to equalize temperature 

 throughout the year. 



During winter, farmers and gardeners may 

 often notice that young plants are more 

 or less completely thrown out of the ground, 

 and this can only take place in land that 

 contains a considerable amount of water, 

 Wheat and clover plants, for instance, are 

 often thrown out so completely that the 

 field has to be broken up in spring, and some 

 other crop sown in the place of that which 

 has been destroyed. The result is brought 

 about by the conversion into ice of water in 



