88 



Gardening 



root hairs that form, noting their number and size. On what 

 part of the root are they actively growing? On what part are 



FIG. 51. Experiment to show the power of different soils to hold capillary 



water. 



they dying? Describe a root hair. How do these root hairs 

 increase the total amount of root surface? How does this affect 

 the power of the plant to absorb water? 



2. To show the upward movement of capillary water in soil. 

 Tie a piece of thin cotton cloth securely over the large end of a 

 lamp chimney. Fill with dry garden soil. Place in a shallow 

 dish containing a pint of water and leave thus until the following 

 day. How high does the free water rise? How high does the 

 capillary water rise ? How can it be kept from evaporating from 

 the surface of the soil ? 



Now carefully lift the chimney with contents, allowing the free 

 water, if there is any, to drain back into the dish. Measure 

 the amount of water left in the dish. How much water has moved 

 up into the soil as capillary water ? 



During dry weather is there an upward movement of water 

 from the deeper parts of the soil ? 



3. To compare the power of different soils to hold capillary water. 

 Tie thin cotton cloth over the small end of four lamp chimneys. 

 Fill one with sand, one with clay, one with humus, and one with 

 loam (all dry and finely powdered). Arrange as shown in Figure 



