RATE AT WHICH RAIN WILL SOAK INTO SOIL 47 



food. Observe what happens when a hard rain falls 

 on a loose, mellow garden, and compare with what takes 

 place on a hard path during a heavy rain. Thrifty farmers 

 try to keep their soil mellow and loose on the surface so 

 that it will absorb and hold sufficient w^ater to carry the 

 plants through the dry, hot part of the season. Persistent 



Fig. 19. — This Soil should be Cultivated at Once to Prevent the 

 Loss of Moisture through the Shrinkage Cracks. 



tillage, which keeps the surface loose, enables the rainfall 

 to enter the soil easily. Frequent shallow cultivation also 

 serves in a dry time to prevent the loss of moisture from 

 below. The soil which is stirred forms a covering or dust 

 mulch which protects the deeper soil and lessens the loss 

 by evaporation at the surface, 



