Apr. 9, 1917 
Water-Retaining Capacity of Soil 
65 
Under such conditions these soils show ratios between 3 and 5 (Table 
XXIX) and thus are intermediate between the coarse sands and the 
loams. 
Table XXIX. — Maximum ratios of water content to hygroscopic coefficient in Nebraska 
sandy soils 
HYGROSCOPIC COEFFICIENT 
Near Madrid. 
Near Valentine. 
Near Imperial. 
Depth. 
Prairie, 
May 1, 
1908. 
Prairie, 
Mar. 25, 
19x0. 
Com, 
Aug. 21, 
191X. 
Prairie, 
Aug. 21, 
1911. 
Com, 
stubble, 
May ii, 
1912. 
Prairie, 
May 11, 
1912. 
Prairies 
May ix # 
191s* 
Feet. 
i -9 
1.9 
3-3 
1.4 
2. 5 
2. 6 
1. 6 
1.8 
i- 7 
2. 2 
I. 4 
2. 6 
3-7 
1. 6 
3 .. 
i- 7 
1.4 
1.4 
2. 6 
3-5 
1.9 
4 .. 
i -5 
1.4 
■9 
1 
f 3 *? 
3-5 
i* 5 
5 . 
1. 8 
1.4 
•9 
[ 12 
5-6 
1. 6 
1.9 
i -5 
1. 0 
1 
J 
l 8.9 
i -3 
i*3 
RATIO 
2. 6 
2.6 
j 
2. 2 
4. 1 
3-4 
2.8 
2.5 
3 * 1 
3-6 
1. 2 
4. 1 
3-3 
2.8 
2. 1 
3 - .. 
2.9 
3-4 
1. 6 1 
2.3 
, 3 * 3 
2.7 
4.2 
4 . 
2.4 
4 - 7 
' 3-5 
3*3 
2.3 
4.6 
5 . 
3-7 
4-5 
3-9 
\ 3-9 
< 2. 8 
3 - 1 
4*5 
3 - 1 
4.6 
3*7 
J 
l 2.4 
3-4 
4-7 
A later experiment in which several soils intermediate in texture were 
used along with those mentioned in Table I throws some light on the 
Fig. 4. —Diagram showing relation of water content of the surface section to both the hygroscopic coefficient 
and the moisture equivalent five days after 1 inch of water had been added to the surface of columns 
of dry soils. 
conduct of these (Table XXX and figure 4). To the surface of columns of 
the soils containing an amount of water approximately half the hygroscopic 
