WATER IN SOILS. Ill 



tube, about f inch in diameter, and arrange 

 a small piece of linen or blotting-paper over 

 the cork, inside the tube ; now pour shot into 

 the tube. The apparatus may be taken to 

 represent particles of soil with their air-spaces. 

 Close the opening in the cork with the finger, 

 and pour water on the shot, fully covering 

 them. This condition may be taken to represent 

 soil from which all the air has displaced by 

 water. Remove the finger ; most of the water 

 will now drain away, but some will be retained, 

 by capillary attraction, between the grains of 

 shot. 



3. Place in a saucer a little water, to which 

 a few drops of red or black ink has been added 

 (merely to colour it), and dip one corner of a 

 piece of blotting-paper into the water : notice 

 how the liquid rapidly spreads through the 

 whole piece. This is an example of the action 

 of capillary force. 



4. Nowtake two small pieces of glass (about 

 3 or 4 inches square), stand them upright in 

 a saucer of water (which may be coloured 

 if desired), bring their edges together on 

 one side so that the pieces stand like a partly 

 opened book standing on its edge. Gradually 

 bring the open edges together, as if closing 

 the book, and notice that the water rises 



