Chapter III 

 THE MOISTIRK IX THE SOIL 



L. A. CLISTOS 



1, Willi Moisture Is Important 



{'A. However much plant-food there may be 

 in the soil, plants cainiot <;ro\v without the 

 presence of water. Water is n»M'(l»Ml for three 

 purposes: to dissolve the ]»laiit-fn(«l mikI tlifieby 

 enable it to enter th<» plant; to roiitrihutc to the 

 building? of j)lant tissue and to the maintenance of 

 the life of the plant; and to re^^ulate tem])erature. 



(\2. A consitlrration of the amount of wat«'r 

 n<iuin'd hy plants in their ji'rowth shows why 

 supplying i»lant-food aloin' d<>«'s not insure the 

 success of the crop. The amount of water used 

 i>y some of thr common crops in their develop- 

 ment to maturity is aj>proximately as follows: 



<Jom .... 50 bus. ptT aoro requires 1,500,000 lbs. of water. 

 Po»ato«.« ... 200 bus. " ** l.JiW.OOO lbs. 



Oats '2d bus. •• •• I.IIVJ.OOO lbs*. 



>).{. The failun* of crops is more frequently 

 due tn improper control of moisture than to any 



(47 . 



