42 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. IX, No. a 
on the ratio of moisture content to the hygroscopic coefficient are 
reported in Table X. 
Table X .—Ratio of moisture content to hygroscopic coefficient in cylinders 47 days after 
1 to $ inches of water had been applied to the surface of columns of air-dried soil. The 
hygroscopic coefficient of soil D was 10,2 and of J 5.6, and the initial moisture content 
3 and 2.3 per cent t respectively 
Depth. 
Soil D. 
Soil J. 
1 in. 
2 in. 
3 in. 
4 in. 
sin. 
1 in. 
2 in. 
3 in. 
Inches. 
I.. 
1 . 0 
2 . 7 
3- 0 
2. 7 
1 . 0 
2 . 7 
4.0 
7 
0 
O’ / 
V 
1.9 
2 . 6 
2 . 8 
3-3 
3-9 
1.8 
2 . 6 
3*7 
3. 
i-7 
2 . 6 
2 . 7 
3*2 
3-9 
1 . 8 
2 . 5 
3*6 
4. 
1 . 1 
2 . 6 
2.7 
3-2 
3-S 
1 . 8 
2* 5 
3*6 
5. 
.8 
2.4 
2.7 
3-2 
3.8 
i* 7 
2.4 
3*5 
• 7 
2.4 
2.7 
3- 1 
3- 7 
1 . 6 
2-3 
3*5 
7.... 
. 6 
1 . 8 
2 . 6 
3- 1 
3*6 
i*3 
2*3 
3* 5 
8 .. 
. 6 
1 . 1 
2 . 5 
3-o 
3*6 
1 . 0 
2 . 2 
3*4 
9. 
• 5 
.8 
2-3 
3- 0 
3*5 
•9 
2 . I 
3* 1 
* 5 
•7 
2 . O 
2.9 
3* 5 
.8 
2 . 0 
2.9 
* 5 
*7 
1.4 
2.7 
3*5 
.8 
2 . O 
2.8 
•5 
•7 
I . 2 
2 . 6 
3*5 
•7 
2 . O 
2.9 
In all the cylinders the moisture content of all portions of the soil col¬ 
umn had been raised either by capillary movement or by the passage 
of water vapor through the air. With soil D, capillary movement had 
affected the water content to a depth of 4 inches with 1 inch of water, to 
8 inches with 2, and to 12 inches with 3, while with the still larger 
amounts the soil had become very moist throughout the whole length 
of the column. With soil J, where 1 inch of water had been added, the 
moisture was distributed uniformly to a depth of 4 or 5 inches, below 
which it decreased very rapidly; but, where twice as much had been 
added, the moistened soil extended to the bottom of the column; and 
with 3 inches the whole column had become very moist. 
With the larger quantities of water, 4 and 5 inches with soil D and 3 
inches with J, the downward movement had been arrested by the bottom 
of the cylinder; but the exposure was not sufficiently long to permit the 
moisture distribution to attain equilibrium. 
FINAL WATER CONTENT WHEN TOP OF SOIL COLUMN IS EXPOSED 
TO EVAPORATION 
Two water-tight cylinders, 6 inches in diameter, 3 feet deep, and 
closed at the bottom, were sunk in holes in the greenhouse, as described 
above; but the tops of the cylinders were placed level with the surface 
of the greenhouse floor and left open. On March 8, 1912, these cylinders, 
after being used in a similar experiment, previously reported (3, p. 283), 
