TILLING AND DRAINING THE SOIL. 4! 



Did you ever notice how large a plant the flower grower 

 produces in a small pot of earth ? Examine the pot ; it is 

 porous, and has a hole in the bottom. The soil is well-drained 

 and the air can get in among the roots that have grown so 

 thickly all around next to the pot close to the places where 

 the air can come in. 



CONCLUSIONS: Plowing, digging, harrowing, and other means 

 of tilling the surface soil have the following effects : 



1. The coarse soil is broken into finer particles. 



2. The soil is mixed, rich and poor, fine and coarse. 



3. The air is allowed to get into the soil. 



4. Growing weeds are killed. Weed seeds are first started 

 growing and then the young weed plants are killed. 



5. Insects and their eggs are disturbed and destroyed. 



6. Well-tilled soils do not suffer from drouth so much as 

 uncultivated soils. 



Draining the soil has the following effects : 



1. Standing water is taken out of the soil ; plants will not 

 grow in stagnant water or in sour soils. 



2. Cold soils become warmer and can be planted early. 



3. The rains can go into the soil, instead of running over 

 the soil and washing away the fine surface soil. 



4. The air can get into the sub-soil, and thus rapidly work 

 it over into matter available for plants. 



5. The plants root deeper, thereby having more soil from 

 which to get food, and a better chance to withstand drouth. 



How is water held in the soil ? 



What is free water? Is the plant benefited by the presence of large 

 quantities of free water ? The remedy is a good system of drainage. 



What is understood by capillary water ? 



What kinds of soils contain most water in this form ? 



What effect has deep plowing in the spring, followed by frequent shallow 

 cultivation during summer, upon this source of water supply? 



What is the effect of an earth mulch, and how is it secured ? 



