3S 



THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS 



FIFTH EXERCISE 



I. WATER-HOLDING CAPACITY OF 



SOILS 



Prepare six perforated bottom brass cylinders (T) 

 by placing a moist disk of muslin in the bottom of each. 

 After weighing fill the cylinders to the mark as follows : 

 Tube No. I — Sand. 

 Tube No. 2 — Mixture, one part sand, one 



part organic matter. 

 Tube No. 3 — Loam or silt. 

 Tube No. 4 — Muck. 

 Tube No. 5 — Clay. 



Tube No. 6 — Loam or silt, not compacted. 

 Compact each tube (except No. 6) on the iron com- 

 pactor by allowing the weight to fall four times from 

 the 6-inch mark after each measure of soil. Weigh and 

 place in a tank in which the water is kept on a level 



APPARATUS USED TU DETERMINE THE WATER-HOLDING CAPACITY 



OF SOILS 



