George E. Waring

What is the first office of the soil?

How does it hold water for the uses of the plant?

How does it obtain a part of its moisture?

The mechanical character of the soil is well understood from preceding remarks, and the learner knows that there are many offices to be performed by the soil aside from the feeding of plants.

1. It admits the roots of plants, and holds them in their position.

2. By a sponge-like action, it holds water for the uses of the plant.

3. It absorbs moisture from the atmosphere to supply the demands of plants.

4. It absorbs heat from the sun's rays to assist in the process of growth.

5. It admits air to circulate among roots, and supply them with a part of their food, while the oxygen of that air renders available the minerals of the soil; and its carbonic acid, being absorbed by the water in the soil, gives it the power of dissolving, and carrying into roots more inorganic matter than would be contained in purer water.

6. It allows the excrementitious matter thrown out by roots to be carried out of their reach.

All of these actions the soil must be capable of performing, before it can be in its highest state of fertility. There are comparatively few soils now in this condition, but there are also few which could not be profitably rendered so, by a judicious application of the modes of cultivation to be described in the following chapters.

The three great objects to be accomplished are:—

1. To adopt such a system of drainage as will cause all of the water of rains to pass through the soil, instead of evaporating from the surface.

2. To pulverize the soil to a considerable depth.

3. To darken its color, and render it capable of absorbing atmospheric fertilizers.

Name some of the means used to secure these effects.

Why are under-drains superior to open drains?