FffOM 1 / f I 





^ WATER STORED IN SO/L ^ ^ WATER STORED IN SO/L ^== 



Fig. 18. — Movement of Soil Moisture. To the right the rain is soaking into the soil. 

 It passes down into it by gravity and is stored for future use. During dry 

 weather the water moves upward by capillarity to supply the plants as shown 

 to the left. On one side of the plant a mulch prevents the loss of moisture, 

 while on the other side the water is being lost by evaporation at the crusted sur- 

 face. The moisture saved by the mulch is free to e iter the plant with dissolved 

 material, which it leaves behind as it evaporates from the leaf surface. 



43 



