THE SOIL I3 



carried, and deposited hundreds of miles from the parent rock. 

 The two chief soil-transporters are wind and water. 



Wind as Soil-transporter. Probably you have seen snow 

 whirled along and heaped up by a gust of wind. In the same way 

 the winds gather up soil and bear it along wherever it is loose 

 and unprotected by vegetation. In the Desert of Sahara there 



SAND HILLS IN THE DESERT OF SAHARA 



are sand drifts larger and deeper than snowdrifts ever are in New 

 England. Wind shifts sand on the seashore and along the lakes, 

 but it is not an important soil- transporter in many parts of our 

 country. 



Water as Soil-transporter. The world's great soil-transporter 

 is water. The rain is constantly carrying soil from hills to val- 

 leys. Streams are constantly bearing it along and depositing it 

 on their banks. Have you noticed a brook after a sudden summer 

 shower ? The water, usually as clear as crystal, is dark with mud ; 

 it rushes along, bearing particles of soil and even gravel and stones. 



Suppose you take a glassful of this muddy water and let it 

 stand a few hours. The water will be clear again, but at the 



