56 THE PRINCIPLES OF AGRICULTURE 



affairs is produced when clay soils are "puddled." 

 It is evident, therefore, that soils which are 

 either very loose or exceedingly finely pulverized 

 are not in the best condition for the holding of 

 moisture ; but the danger of over -pulverizing is 

 very small. 



4. The Conservation of Moisture 



82. By conservation of moisture is meant 

 the prevention of all unnecessary waste of the 

 capillary water of the soil, either through weeds 

 or by evaporation. It is the saving and utiliz- 

 ing of moisture. The object is to make the 

 water which seeks to escape from the surface 

 pass through the cultivated plants. Plants re- 

 quire that their food be in solution. The 

 moisture of the soil contains plant -food in 

 solution. If this moisture is permitted to 

 escape from the surface by evaporation, it 

 leaves the plant -food at the surface. This food 

 cannot nourish plants, because it is out of the 

 range of their feeding roots. If the escape of 

 the moisture is through the plants, there is 

 created a moisture current towards the roots, 

 and the plant -food is carried where it can be 

 used to advantage. 



83. Moisture rapidly rises to the surface 

 by capillarity, to replace that which has evapo- 



