however, a factor in the climatics of that part of the Western and Northwestern and 

 Southwestern States which appears to be much more potent than the considera- 

 tions of temperature and rainfall, and that is the winds of those regions. That 

 factor reduces any comparative statements of the temperature and rainfall of the 

 State of Nebraska and the beet regions of Europe to a small value. A comparison 

 of the Western States with the States on the Atlantic border in respect of the 

 rainfall and temperature is upset by the same prevailing factor. The mean tem- 

 perature for the mouth of May in Nebraska and the beet districts of Germany does 

 not vary more than 1 to 2 degrees, being about 59 F in Nebraska and 58 in the 

 European country. The actual effect, however, of the temperature of Nebraska, 

 borne as it is upon the south wind at a high daily velocity (it is notable also that the 

 wind rises with the sun, attains its maximum velocity in the midday, and moderates 

 or goes quite down with the setting of the sun), is much greater than in localities 

 where the air is generally in a more stagnant condition. 



Again, the action of those winds upon the evaporation of moisture from the soil 

 is very great. The seed bed, which at sunrise is soft and moist, after noon is dried 

 out 1 to 2 inches, and the soil is actually hard and remains so until after sundown. 

 The evaporation process occurs to such an intense degree that the rainfall of a moist 

 and still atmosphere, of one-half to 1 inch per week in that season, would have a 

 much smaller effect in the intense conditions of which we have spoken. 



And yet, notwithstanding the conditions of which we have spoken, and which at 

 first sight appeared unfavorable, the growth and vigorous appearance of the beet 

 plants of the first germination were unmistakable. The plants not only looked 

 vigorous, but they grew rapidly. That circumstance directed attention to the nature 

 of the soil, for it appeared very evident that an adapability in a high degree existed 

 of the soil to the characteristics of the climate. 



Following the observation stated, experiments were conducted with the purpose 

 of ascertaining the power of the station soil to absorb moisture, both by capilliarity 

 and from the air; and, further, the capability of the soil to retain the moisture 

 already absorbed. In order that the results of such experiments should be apparent 

 they had to be made comparative, and samples of soil were obtained from the ex- 

 perimental stations of LaFayette,Ind., and College, Md., which samples were sent 

 to us through the courtesy of Prof. Huston of the former and Maj. Alvord of 

 the latter station. About 30 pounds of soil were contained in each sample sent to ns, 

 which represented the surface soils of the respective stations to a depth of 9 inches. 

 A corresponding sample was taken of our own station soil. The samples were each 

 pulverized, but not sifted, and laid very thinly upon boards exposed to the sun for 

 several days until they were thoroughly snu dried. When quite dry, smaller 

 samples were taken from each of the original ones and put into zink forms made for 

 the purpose. The "forms" or vessels were 9 inches deep by 2 inches square. The 

 bottoms were finely perforated, and before putting the soil into them square pieces 

 of linen were damped and laid at the bottom inside in order to prevent any particles 

 dropping through the perforations made for the capillary passage of water. When 

 completed aiid filled with soil, care being taken that the latter should not be too 

 loose or too compressed in the vessels, the latter were placed in a tub containing 

 water one-half inch deep for twenty-four hours, or until each sample had taken up 

 its maximum quantity of water. The sun-dried soils, with the vessels, were weighed 

 before being put into the tub and immediately after being taken out, any drops at- 

 taching to the vessels being wiped off. The quantity of water taken up, or the 

 absorptive power (by capillarity) of each soil, was thus determined. 



Having thus come at the absorptive power of each soil, the next step was to deter- 

 mine the relative power of the soils to retain the water they had taken up under the 

 same conditions. 



A double series of vessels and samples of each soil were used, one part of which 

 were placed under a normal exposure, i. e. t the vessels were put out in the field and 



