THE PRINCIPLES OF CULTIVATION 221 



capillary rise only goes on as far as the soil is compact, it does 

 not extend to the surface layer, which, dry itself, is exposed to 

 the sun and wind; all the loss that can take place is the small 

 evaporation of subsoil water into the interstices of the soil resting 

 upon it. Such a layer of loose soil, which, although it may become 

 dust dry itself, serves as a screen and protection against the 

 evaporation of the subsoil water, is often called a " soil mulch," 

 because it serves the same purpose as the mulches of straw or 

 leaves or grass clippings used by a gardener. Soil mulches become 

 of increasing importance as the season advances and evaporation 

 increases with the higher temperatures and the longer days ; it is 

 the function of the hoe to establish and maintain such mulches. 



The remaining acts of husbandry in spring are all directed 

 towards making the seed bed, the number of cultivations necessary 

 being determined by the fineness of the seed. The aim of each 

 successive cultivation is to work the soil down into a finer condi- 

 tion, to get it more and more compact below, yet to leave a fine 

 layer of loose material on the surface. Below the loose layer the 

 soil must be both fine and compact and rest firmly on the subsoil, 

 otherwise the rise of subsoil water by capillarity will be slow 

 and imperfect and the crop will suffer from drought ; it must 

 also be fine, or the small seeds will be buried at all sorts of depths, 

 so that some will be dried up before they make roots and others 

 will be exhausted before they can reach the surface. The top inch 

 or two of soil the soil mulch must be kept loose and powdery 

 to protect the rest from evaporation ; its value may easily be seen 

 by treading firmly in a few places on a newly made seed bed. 

 After a day or two the footprints will become and remain visibly 

 damper than the rest of the land, so that they must be suffering 

 a constant loss of water. It is at this stage the preparation of 

 the seed bed that the skill of the farmer and gardener most 

 shows itself ; by experience he knows just the right stage and 

 wetness or dryness when cultivation will be effective, a little 

 too wet and on strong land the result would be disastrous for the 

 rest of the season, a little too dry and the clods will not crumble, 

 so that the labour is wasted. 



When the sowing stage is reached and the seed has been put 

 in and covered at its appropriate depth, the next operation is 



