ture. In southern latitudes where the ground does not freeze, to leave 

 the surface in a rough state would assist evaporation. The farmer 

 should be governed by conditions and adopt the best possible plan to 

 prevent the loss of water. 



Conserving Water 



Conserving water is just as essential as storing it. We know the 

 amount of water required to make the crop. We know that it can be 

 stored in the subsoils nearly as well as in a cistern, provided it is not 

 carried cff with an under-flow or the subsoil is not a deep sand or gravel, 

 and we know that unless proper means are used, water will escape by 

 evaporation to the extent of one or more inches during a hot, windy day. 

 An acre inch of water weighs 112 tons, or one-fourth of the amount 

 required to make an acre of good wheat; hence, negligence for two or 

 three days may cost the farmer a year of toil. 



The amount of evaporation depends upon the type and character of 

 the soil. Shu^bler made some extensive experiments with the following 

 results: 



Calcareous Sand 



75.9 



44 



It will be seen from the above table that a soil containing organic 

 matter such as we find in vegetable mould, garden loams and loar 

 from plowed fields, lose less water by evaporation than sandy soils l.Pd 

 clay loams or any soil which is not thoroughly impregnated with humus. 

 It is also true that the best soils for agricultural purposes possess a 

 medium absorbative power. A good grain soil has a water-holding 

 capacity of between 40 and 70 per cent. 



Limestone soils and sandy soils are not desirable for dry-land farming 

 purposes for the reason that they do not retain moisture. It has fre- 



