io8 The Great World's Farm 



a confined space, with its roots crowded together in this 

 way, and when left to grow as it hkes, in the open ground, 

 its roots often roam to great distances, and therefore 

 require much more soil than they make use of as food. 

 The poorer the soil the farther the roots spread in their 

 endeavor to find nourishment, and a maize-plant in sandy 

 soil will send its roots out a distance of ten or fifteen 

 feet. 



It is supposed that only a very small portion, perhaps 

 a hundredth part, of the soil helps to feed the plants 

 growing in it. And this is probable enough when we 

 consider it; for the soil, however fine, still consists of 

 solid particles, which the roots cannot swallow; and 

 though it is being constantly dissolved by water and gases, 

 the process is a slovv^ one. Where the soil is coarse the 

 process is slower still. For as a lump of sugar takes 

 much longer to dissolve than the same quantity of sugar 

 when reduced to powder, just so it is with the soil; when 

 it is fine the water has a very much larger surface to act 

 upon, and can act more quickly. And this is one reason 

 why finely ground soils are so generally fertile. 



But this is not the only reason; for besides drinking 

 in the moisture of the soil, with whatever may be dissolved 

 in it, the roots do much dissolving on their own account. 

 And it is for this purpose, apparently, that all, down to 

 the smallest fiber, and even hair, are more or less acid. 



What food comes to them ready dissolved may be 

 brought from a distance from the soil above or below the 

 roots, but it is brought. The particles of soil, on the 

 other hand, do not move, and the roots must go to them, 

 and actually touch them, and that very closely, for the 

 acid to be able to act upon them. A rich morsel which 



