94 



FIG CULTURE 



instead of adding to that in the soil, rain often 

 causes a depletion. When several inches occur in 

 one day, the soil becomes saturated, an excess drains 

 away, or, standing, water-logs the land, and nitro- 

 gen rapidly evaporates. Soil will store about one- 

 third its weight of water. If nine inches deep, it 

 will hold three inches of water. During drouths 

 the moisture content of the ground may get as low 

 as twelve per cent; when the proportion of water 

 falls below sixteen per cent, fig trees stop growing. 

 Two and one-half inches of rain will usually fill a 

 nine-inch soil. If the subsoil is dry and porous it 

 will absorb considerable more; otherwise the excess 

 must evaporate or drain from the surface. Some- 

 times rain water fills the interstices very quickly, 

 and in half a day causes the furrowing and gullying 

 of comparatively level land as it flows rapidly 

 away ; and when heavy rains occur at frequent in- 

 tervals the greater part passes off. Then rapid 

 depletion of nitrogen results from its loss in drain- 

 age. Underground tiles, however, are efficient to 

 catch leeching fertility. Where tiles are used, and 

 the ground is kept porous to their depth, nitrates 

 are largely caught and held by soil particles before 

 escaping. Every gentle shower is a benefit not only 

 by affording moisture for mineral solutions, but by 

 adding to the roots this most valuable, elusive and 

 expensive element of plant food. 



What, then, should the fig grower do ? His soil 

 should be deepened for feeding ground, for mois- 



