254 SOILS: PROPERTIES AND MANAGEMENT 



and the percentage of protein content of the crop is de- 

 creased. It is a curious fact, as will be shown later, that 

 many of the general and morphological effects of large 

 quantities of available water on plant growth are the 

 same as those from the presence of too much soluble 

 nitrogen. In cereals the stimulation of increased water 

 is shown especially in the ratio of grain to straw. Widt- 

 soe's 1 results in this regard are representative of the 

 data 2 available on this point : — 



Distribution of Dry Matter between Grain and Straw 

 with Varying Amounts of Water 



As a general rule this depression of the ratio of grain 

 to straw is not due to an actual decrease in the grain, but 

 to a correspondingly greater production of dry matter in 



1 Widtsoe, J. A. The Production of Dry Matter with 

 Different Quantities of Irrigation Water. Utah Agr. Exp. 

 Sta., Bui. 116, p. 49. 1912. 



2 Bunger, H. Uber den Einfluss Verschieden Hohen Was- 

 sergehalts des Bodens in den Einzelhen Vegetationsstadien 

 bei Verschiedenem Nahrstoffreichtum auf die Entwicklung 

 des Haferpflanzen. Landw. Jahrb., Band 35, Seite 941-1051. 

 1906. Also, Seelhorst, C. von, und Freekmann, W. Der 

 Einfluss des Wassergehaltes des Bodens auf die Ernten und 

 die Ausbilding Verschiedener Getriedevarietaten. Jour. f. 

 Landw., Band 51, Seite 253-269. 1903. 



