39 



aolstur* as readily as artificial flupplies in the laboratory. 

 The objection that the soiie used in the laboratory are 

 different from the field ^soils, however, does not apply to 

 the Wisconsin results. The same author (p. 105) fur||hep 

 states ; "The praetical effect of capillary action in raising 

 water to the surface of the soil to the level oecupied by 

 plant roots, has apparently been very much exagerated ; its 

 influence on the distribution of water in the soil is never- 

 theless very large." 



Some Florida trucking soils (Bu. Soils 13, 8, 9,) 

 however, seem to possess a remarkable power of maintaining 

 a sufficient, although very low, percentage of moisture. 

 •'The soilv is a coarse white or yellow sand underlaid by a 

 coarse sandy subsoil. It looks like a barren sea sand or a 

 coarse sharp building sand, but that it is vsjry productive 

 is shown by the xarge and vigorous growth of pines, the 

 luxuriant growth of grass, the great quantity of truck 

 crops which can be produced during th-:* season, and the 

 enormous growth of beggar weeds which take possession of the 

 land after the crop is removed.** The surface is rolling, 

 varying from 25 to 50 ft. Standing water is 15 to 20 

 f«et beneath the surface. After a rain the sixrface inch or 

 two is soon as dry as dust, but the moisture 3 to 6 inehes 

 beneath the surface nav^r falls b«low 3 % and perhaps 4 % 



