Miscellaneous, 



170 



[May, 1909 



Q. 5. How does tillage improve the 

 texture of the soil ? 



A. Tillage |im proves the texture of the 

 soil by breaking up and loosening it, so 

 that air and moisture can enter, and the 

 roocs of plants can move freely in thesoil, 



Q. 6. What materials do we add to 

 the soil to improve its texture ? 



A. Most fertilizers not only furnish 

 plant food, but also improve the texture 

 of the soil. Lime is often used on clay 

 lands to make them mellow. Farm 

 manures are usually more important in 

 improving soil texture than in directly 

 supplying plant food. 



Q. 7. What is the first thing to do to 

 a soil ? 



A. The first thing to do to a soil 

 is to improve its condition, or texture, 

 by careful and thorough tillage. After 

 the soil has been put in good condition, 

 plant food may be supplied if it is 

 needed. A hard lump soil will not 

 produce good crops, no matter how 

 much plant food it may contain. 

 Moisture. 



Q. 1. Why do we need to have 

 moisture in thesoil? e 



A. We need to have moisture in th 

 soil because plants cannot grow with- 

 out water, no matter how much plant 

 food they may have. 



Q. 2. In what two ways is this water 

 in the soil used ? 



A. (a) To dissolve the plant food in 

 the soil so that it can enter the plant, 

 (6) to help build up plant tissue and 

 maintain the life of the plant. 



Q. 3. Do growing crops use a large 

 amount of water '? 



A, Yes. Growing crops use a very 

 large amount of water. The amount of 

 water used by some common crops in 

 their development to maturity is approx- 

 imately as follows :— 



Hectolitres Kilos of 

 Crop. per water 



hectare. required. 



Corn ... 45 1,700,000 



Potatoes ... 180 1,440,000 



Oats ... 26 1,850,000 



Q. 4. What is the most common 

 cause of the failure of crops ? 



A, The most common cause of the 

 failure of crops is the lack of sufficient 

 water. 



Q. 5. What are the three forms of 

 water in the soil? 



A. (a) Free, (b) capillary, (c) hygros- 

 copic. 



Q. 6. What do we mean by "free 

 water" in the soil?" 



A. When rain falls on the surface of 

 the earth a part of it sinks into the 

 soil until it reaches a hard layer of 

 earth or rock. This water is the source 

 of supply for springs and wells, and 

 is known as free water. 



Q, 7. What is " capillary water?" 



A. Capillary water is the water which 

 adheres to the soil particles, or is in the 

 openings between the particles. This 

 water is not controlled by gravity, but 

 passes from one part of the soil to 

 another, which tends to keep the soil 

 in uniform condition as far as moisture 

 is concerned. The capillary water is the 

 direct supply for plants and should be 

 carefully provided for and saved. 



Q. 8. What is "hygroscopic water"? 



A. Hygroscopic water is the water 

 which is held firmly as a film surrounding 

 each particle of soil. It is held so firmly 

 that it is driven off only when the soil is 

 exposed to a temperature of 212° F. 

 This water is of service to plants only 

 during the most excessive droughts. 



Q. 9. What are " wet lands?" 



A. Wet lands are lands which contain 

 too much free water. Soils which are 

 dryish and crumbly usi ally contain suffi- 

 cient water for the growing of plants. 

 Lands in good condition for the growing 

 of crops are moist, not wet. 



Q. 10. What is the first step towards 

 utilizing the water of the soil ? 



A, The laud should be so prepared 

 that the rainfall may be stored. The 

 soil should be put in such condition that 

 it will readily absorb water. 



Q. 11. How does tillage enable soils 

 to hold moisture ? 



A. Tillage enables soils to hold mois- 

 ture in two ways— (a) by increasing 

 the depth of the soil, (b) by increasing 

 the capillary power of the soil. 



Q. 12. What do we mean by con- 

 servation of moistiu-e ? 



A. Conservation of moisture means 

 the prevention of the unnecessary waste 

 of capillary water of the soil. It is the 

 saving and using of moisture. 



Q, 13. What is the advantage of the 

 conservation of moisture ? 



A. The advantage is to make the 

 water which seeks to escape from the 

 surface of the soil pass through cultivat- 

 ed plants. 



Q. 14. What is the best way to 

 prevent loss of water from the surface 

 of the soil by evaporation ? 



A. Frequent tillage, which loosens 

 the soil to a depth of five to eight centi- 

 meters. This dry loose soil acts like a 

 coat or blanket on the surface of the 

 earth. This shallow tillage should be 

 renewed during the growing seasouas 

 often as the surface of the soil becomes 

 hard or baked. 



Tillage. 



q. 1. What is meant by tillage ? 



A. By tillage is meant the stirring of 

 the soil for the purpose of aiding the 

 growth of plants. 



Q 2. What are two different kinds 

 of tillage ? 



