106 Eeport of the Horticulturist or the 
all of the samples having been sifted through a sieve containing 100 
meshes to the inch, and after the filling, the soils were carefully jarred 
down by holding the board in a vertical position, lifting it slightly and 
letting it drop upon the floor, continuing this process until the soils 
ceased to settle. After this, the tubes were again filled by the addition 
of more soil. The board was then placed in a level position, and the 
bent end of the tubes connected with a pan of water, the latter being 
kept filled to the brim. By this arrangement, the influence of gravity 
upon the action of capillarity is practically eliminated, as the water is 
required to rise scarcely more than the diameter of the tube, after 
which it passes the remaining distance in a horizontal direction, and is 
resisted only by the friction of the particles. 
The Rate of Capillary Flow in Different Soils. 
Dee. 13. 
Dec. 20. 
Dec. 27. 
Jan. 3. 
Jan. 10. 
Jan. 17. 
Jan. 24. 
Jan. 31. 
Clay 
Garden soil . . 
Muck 
16% in. 
12% 
41% 
23% in. 
19% 
50% 
28% in. 
26% 
59%* 
31% in. 
31% 
34^ in. 
35% 
36% in. 
40% 
38% in. 
44% 
40% in. 
47% 
Sandt 
It has been ascertained that the rate of capillary flow is inversely in 
proportion to the diameter of the tube or pores. From this we may 
infer that the pores were largest in the sand, next in the muck, and 
smallest of all in the garden soil. The fact that the rate in the clay 
was not so well maintained as in the garden soil may be due to the 
fact that the clay became more consolidated on getting wet. 
The Influence of Matters in Solution Upon the Rate of Capillary 
Flow. 
Four glass tubes were filled with garden soil, sifted through a sieve 
of 100 meshes to the inch, and were placed in a horizontal position as 
described in the last experiment, two being connected with distilled 
water, and the remaining two with a saturated solution of nitrate of 
soda. It was commenced on February 17, and continued until Febru- 
ary 28, with the following results: 
* Finished. 
f Finished in two days, 60 in. 
