16 INVESTIGATIONS ON EOTHAMSTED SOILS. 
Table 3. — Broadbalk wheat soils (sampled in October, 1881)— Percentages of stories, 
fine dry soil, etc. 
First 9 inches. 
Second 9 
inches. 
Third 9 inches. 
8 
CO 
8 
CO 
8 
CO 
nes 
o 
CO 
o 
o 
Li 
DO 
© 
Pi 
'o 
CO 
r< >o 
'o 
CO 
o 
Fh 
1 sto 
dry 
ble,: 
etc. 
ture 
1 sto 
dry 
ble, 
etc. 
ture 
1 sto 
dry 
0) 
o 
© 
ture 
-2 
m 
■Q 
CO 
CO 
o3 
CD 
CO 
o 
Fin 

OQ 
Moi 
Tot 
Fin 
m 
Moi 
Tot 
Fin 
X 
Moi 
p ft 
L. Cl. 
P.ct. 
±. Cl. 
P.ct. 
P.ct. 
p. ct. 
P ct 
P.ct. 
P. ct. 
P.ct. 
/'. 
ct. 
P. ct. 
Plat 3 . - 
12.05 
68.68 
0.08 
19. 19 
12.*44 
69.91 
0.01 
17. 64 
9.21 
70. 16 
n 
Ill 
20.62 
Plat 3 
13. 17 
71.08 
.03 
15. 72 
6.45 
73.32 
.01 
20.22 
1.83 
75.85 
UJ 
22.31 
Plat 4 
12.38 
72.19 
.02 
15.41 
3. 93 
76.48 
.01 
19.58 
.85 
77. 18 
ii] 
21.96 
Plat 5a 
13. 10 
70. 61 
.02 
16.27 
13.09 
68.81 
.01 
18.09 
6.45 
72.57 
01 
20. 97 
Plat 6a 
13.09 
69.09 
.03 
17.79 
4.13 
75. 10 
.01 
20.76 
3. 14 
74.82 
III 
UJ 
22. 03 
P'at 7a 
13. 90 
69.61 
.05 
16.44 
9.33 
72.35 
.01 
18.31 
2. 15 
77. 86 
01 
19. 98 
Plat 8a 
15.33 
68.25 
.04 
16. 38 
6. 47 
74.33 
19.20 
1.62 
76.37 
22.01 
Plat 9a 
16.08 
67. 50 
.05 
16.37 
4.38 
75.44 
.01 
20. 17 
1.25 
75.96 
01 
22. 78 
Plat 9b 
Plat 10a --. 
13. 90 
69.73 
.03 
16. 34 
10.60 
72.39 
17.01 
3. 68 
76.06 
20.26 
14.39 
69.58 
.03 
16.00 
10. 49 
70. 33 
19. 18 
1.88 
75.20 
22.92 
Plat 10b 
16.69 
67. 45 
.02 
15.84 
9.33 
71.02 
"Voi" 
19. 64 
8.38 
69. 80 
21.82 
Plat 11a 
14.63 
69.05 
.03 
16.29 
7.91 
71.70 
20. 39 
5. 51 
72. 58 
"02" 
21.89 
Plat 12a. 
16. 45 
67.78 
.01 
15. 76 
14. 61 
66. 89 
18.50 
18.93 
61.00 
20.07 
Plat 13a 
15.33 
68.47 
.03 
16.17 
8.40 
71.28 
.01 
20. 31 
4.24 
73.32 
01 
22.43 
Plat 14a 
14. 93 
68.15 
.05 
16. 87 
9.21 
71.03 
.01 
19.75 
4.90 
70. 27 
01 
24. 82 
Plat 15a. 
14.40 
69.15 
.06 
16. 39 
6.08 
72.28 
.01 
'21.63 
3.42 
71.83 
01 
24. 74 
Plat 16a... 
17.41 
66.89 
.01 
15. 69 
14.04 
68. 73 
.01 
17.22 
11.94 
67.53 
20.53 
14.63 
68.34 
.02 
17.01 
13. 58 
65.58 
.01 
20.83 
5. 10 
71.74 
23. 16 
Plat 18a.... 
16. 19 
07. 26 
.05 
16. 50 
8.37 
71.24 
.01 
20.38 
7. 04 
72. 10 
6i" 
20.85 
Plat 19 
14.52 
68.79 
.02 
16.67 
10. 15 
71.08 
01 
18.76 
7.27 
70. 69 
22.04 
Average, e x - 
chiding plat 2. 
14.77 
68.89 
.03 
16. 31 
8.98 
71.54 
.01 
19.47 
5.24 
.01 
21.98 
a Stones retained by i-inch sieve. The fine dry soil includes stones passing through 1-inch 
sieve. 
Table 3 gives like results for the samples taken in 1881, though in 
thai year as many as twenty plats were sampled. As in the case of 
the 1865 samples, the stones are highest in the surface soil, and 
decrease as we descend; again with a very great range of variation 
in the second and a still greater range in the third 9 inches, the fine 
soil, of course, varying conversely. It will be seen that the moisture 
is at its lowest in the surface soil, higher in the second 9 inches, and 
still higher in the third 9 inches. This is usually found to be the 
case. The differences annually vary with the preceding rainfall and 
other recent climatic conditions, and also according to the recent 
growth of vegetation, the quantity of which of course regulates the 
loss of water by leaf transpiration. The variations in the mode of 
manuring also necessarily affect the hygroscopic character of the soil; 
for instance, the dunged plats are Far more retentive of moisture than 
the plats receiving chemical manures only. Thus L1 is usually the 
case that the drainpipes from the dunged plats yield no drainage 
water, even when the pipes Prom the other plats are running freely. 
Probably the pipes from the undunged plats run six limes for once 
thai those of the dunged plats run. Several inches of rain are required 
to cause the latter to run, owing to the greal absorptive capacity 
acquired by the soil through the accumulation of organic matter from 
the dung. 
