124 



exposed to every change of weather, day and night, whilst the second part were kept 

 in the barn, and thus kept from the sun and any rainfall. The data observed in the 

 experiments are expressed in the following tables : 



I. TABLE SHOWING THE RELATIVE ABSORPTIVE POWERS OF THE SOILS. 



II. TABLKS SHOWING THE RELATIVE RETENTIVE POWERS OF THE SOILS. 

 (a) Series of samples placed in the larn. 



Per cent of water, of own weight of the samples, in the soils on 



(6) Series of samples placed in normal exposure. 



If the results of the station samples are taken as expressing 100, the relative capil- 

 lary and retentive powers are as follows, based upon the data observed on August 

 31: 



Table I shows the great resorbtive power of the station soil, which means its great 

 capillarity, as the moisture was taken up by capillary action. 



Table II, series (a), indicates certain very important facts in the station soil, viz: 

 First, that a portion of the very high per cent of water taken up by absorption is 

 very rapidly given off, after which the rate of evaporation continues very gradual 

 down to 12.2 per cent, when, on reaching that minimum, it commences reabsorbiug 



