34 
Research Bulletin No. ~> 
Table 7 shows the difference between a cultivated and uncul- 
tivated surface in retaining water. A rain of .31 inch fell slowly 
during the interval between the two samplings. The brome sod 
retained about 70 per cent of the water which fell. It was all 
held in the upper three inches of soil and was soon lost. The 
corn land held practically all of the rain and it was distributed 
thru nine inches of soil. 
Table 8. — Effect of amount of water in soil on penetration, 1909. 
PER CENT MOISTURE IN THE SOIL. 
Depth 
Alfalfa field 
Corn land 
Wheat land 
July 7 
July 13 
Gain 
July 7 
July 13 
Gain 
July 9 
July 12 
Gain 
Feet 
1 
7.5 
17.1 
9.6 
17.4 
21.8 
4.4 
8.8 
21.0 
12.2 
2 
8.7 
8.9 
17.1 
19.3 
2.2 
9.7 
11.1 
1.4 
3 
8.8 
8.5 
16.1 
17.6 
1.5 
9.2 
9.6 
4 
8.3 
8.5 
17.1 
18.1 
1.0 
9.8 
10.3 
The data given in Table 8 were obtained from three fields 
under different crops. During the period between the samplings, 
over three inches of rain fell. All the water held by the soil 
gi-OAving alfalfa was held in the upper seven inches of the soil. 
In the wheat, which was grown on spring plowed land, the water 
moved thru the first foot of soil and a small amount into the 
second foot. In the cornfield the moisture content was increased 
below four feet. A sampling a week later showed an increase of 
three-fourths inch of water in the fifth and sixth foot-sections. 
The corn land does not show much increase in water content 
near the surface. It was already filled to nearly carrying ca- 
pacity, and much of the water that was caught was carried to 
lower depths. In the alfalfa field, which was dry when the rain 
came, all the water retained was held near the surface. Here it 
was exposed to the rapid evaporation which takes place at the 
surface. 
Table 9. — Effect of surface condition and moisture content on 
storing water, 1910. 
PER CENT MOISTURE IN THE SOIL. 
Depth 
Alfalfa field — soil dry. 
Surface not stirred. 
Corn land — soil more moist . 
Surface cultivated. 
June 30 
July 2 
Gain 
June 30 
July 2 
Gain 
Feet 
1 
2 
3 
67 
6.9 
7.1 
14.3 
6.6 
7.3 
7.6 
10.0 
10.3 
10.6 
21.4 
13.9 
10.8 
11.4 
3.6 
