CHAPTER V 

 FORMS OF SOIL WATER 



WATER which comes to the soil and is absorbed 

 exists in the soil principally in two forms: Free 

 water and capillary water. 



FREE WATER 



Free water is that form of water which fills our 

 wells, is found in the bottoms of holes dug in the 

 ground during wet seasons and is often found 

 standing on the surface of the soil after heavy or 

 long continued rains. It is sometimes called ground 

 water or standing water and flows under the in- 

 fluence of gravity. 



Is free water good for the roots of farm plants? 

 If we remember how the root takes its food and 

 moisture, namely through the delicate root hairs ; 

 and also remember the experiment which showed 

 us that roots need air, we can readily see that free 

 water would give the root hairs enough moisture, 

 but it would at the same time drown them by cut- 

 ting off the air. Therefore free water is not di- 

 rectly useful to the roots of house plants or farm 

 plants, excepting such as are naturally swamp 



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