144 MANURING. 
' 20.—Soils absorb the gases brought to them by the 
rain in a definite degree: when saturated they will 
take up no more; it is evident, therefore, that the 
deeper the bed of soil in which the roots seek their 
food, and the more. perfectly it is permeable, the 
greater the amount of fertilizing matter which will be 
left behind by the rain. 
21.—This bed of surface soil may be deepened by 
draining, by which the line of stagnant moisture is low- 
ered, and by encroaching upon the sub-soil, by methods 
known to agriculture. 
22.—If the 80 or 100 inches of rain in Ceylon 
could be enticed to soak through the soil instead of 
running off, no fruit-forcing manure would be neces- 
sary. The intention of good agriculture should be to 
accomplish this as far as possible. 
23.—The power of water to fertilize depends upon 
the presence of nitrogenous matter either in it or the 
soil to which it is applied. Spring water, and river 
water also, to the extent that it has filtered through 
the soil, have parted with their nitrogenous matter. 
Stored water also gradually loses its value, for it 
rapidly yields up its nitrogenous matter to the ani- 
mal and vegetable life that abound in it. River water 
is but partially successful when applied to coffee land, 
and old tank water renders paddy crops feathery. 
24.—This relative value of rain and river and tink 
water should not be lost sight of when discussing 
irrigation schemes that involve great outlay. 
SECOND SERIES OF NOTES. 
1.—There is a scientific idea which, if popularized, 
might be of service in the discussion of coffee manur- 
ing, it is chemical absorption. 
2.—When water is applied to perfectly dry earth a 
certain definite portion is absorbed and becomes lat- 
ent; beyond this point the moisture is sensibl>. Or- 
dinary drying by sun and wind will drive away the 
sensible moisture, but it requires a high degree of heat 
to drive off the latent, or, as it is called, the water 
of absorption. 
3.—Gases, as well as fields, are subject to this law 
of definite absorption. 
4,—When the fcod of plants is brought to the soil 
by rain, the upper layers absorb it up to saturation. 
What is over is carried to the lower layers and there 
absorbed, and so on, as far as the soil is permeable, 
down to the stagnant moisture. If there is more thin 
‘enough to saturate the whole, it passes off to waste, 
as far as the soil on which it fell is concerned. | 
5.—If, however, the rain cannot pass freely off as 
in swampy lands, it stagnates; and when, as the 
