SOILS. 53 



gravity. Capillary water moves in any direction in 

 accordance with the laws of capillary attraction which 

 exists between a liquid and a solid when brought into 

 contact. 



The movement of hydrostatic and capillary water 

 through the soil is necessary to its healthy condition as 

 far as the growth of plants is concerned. Capillary 

 water moves to supply the demand of evaporation, 

 plant-roots, and other portions of the soil which are 

 deficient in moisture. Water moves downward from 

 the surface by gravity and supplies needed capillary 

 water which is held by the surface tension of the soil 

 particles. The remainder passes off as hydrostatic 

 water through drains either natural or artificial, or, suit- 

 able drainage not being provided, it remains to retard 

 the growth of plants and in other ways injure the soil. 



Water of the Soil that is Used by Plants, 



Plants take their nutriment from the soil by means of 

 rootlets which grow in close contact with soil particles. 

 All plant-food taken through these rootlets must be in 

 solution and in the condition of capillary water or, as it 

 is commonly called, moisture. In nature's preparation 

 of plant-food mineral matter must be dissolved, organic 

 matter be decomposed, gases absorbed by water, and 

 the whole stored away in liquid form within the minute 

 pores of the soil, there to be seized upon by the root- 

 lets of plants and thence appropriated to their growth. 



It matters not how much fertility there may be pres- 

 ent In the soil, if it is not put in this form it is not avail- 

 able to plants. Hydrostatic water is useful only in 



