The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-05-29
Relation of Water to Agriculture.

Without the constant presence at water tn
production Of vegetable substances ls an i'm
possibility. The presence or absence Of thi:
substance determines almost entirely whether
our labors in the field of agriculture shall bt
crowned with success or prove failure
Either the lack or excess of water proves de
leterious TO the growing crops of the farmer
Water exists in three states or conditions, in
all of which 1t has very important influence
on the production of farm crops. These are
the solid or fooZen state, the LIQUID state and
the gaseous or state OF vapor or steam. 1t is
a law that all material substances are expand
ed by heat and contracted by cold or by the
absence of heat. This law holds good in
the case of water at all temperatures above
about IS degs. Fair, at which it becomes
stationary ana remains SO until it falls 80
degs, at which it freezes. In the process OF
freezing the law of expansion is reversed and
The ice that is formed occupies one-siXth to
Oneeleventh more space than did the water
from which it was formed This accounts
for the bursting of vessels by the freezing OF
water in them; II also explains why many
vegetable substances are injured by the freez
ing Of their sap--the swelling OF the sap in
freezing ruptures or al least so strains the
vegetable cells that vitality is destroyed
Snow, which is frozen vapor, is very beneti
cial as protection TO the roots of plants tina,
remain the ground during winter. The many
small air spaces formedby the freezing make
il anon-cOnductOr ofheat; so that few inches
Of snow will protect the young plants from
the iajsrous effects of the most severe cold
hat ever occurs in the temperate zones
And in cases where the soil was not frozen
whenthc snow fell the internal heat of the earth
DC sufficient TO cause vigorous growth OF
winter grain thus protected. The snow also
carries down with 1t when il falls certain fer
tllizing substances found N the air, particu-
larly ammonia which are believed 10 con-
tribute directly to the growth Of the plants
with which the snow is in contact 4 coat
ing of solid ice, on the other hand, by ey.
Guiding the air entirely, and BY preventing
the eXhalation from the plants, if continued
for any great length of time, is almost sure
70 result in the death of the plants by sutio-
cation. II is evident, therefore, that no
water should be permitted 10 stand on the
surface OF the ground that is occupied by a
crop of winter grain. But perhaps the most
beneficial effect of water in the form Of ice
is found in It's tendency 10 break down and
Pulverize stiff or heavy soils during the win.
ter season.
When :s saturated soil freezes the ice : not
formed in all the interscices Of the soil
where it is held while in lluid state,
but II is drawn together So that the ice Is
formed in thin plates or scales, thus scpara:-
ing the soil into namberess small divisions
Or particles, each Of which IS bound and
held 10 lis neighber particle by = thin film or
plate of ice. When thaw takes place, a.
these layers OF ice gradually melt, the parti-
Giles OF soil, instead of reunIting with those
Ia which they adhered before freezing, fall
on and crum6le down into loose, iriable
soil And II the surplus water i carried of
by UNDERWRITING, the soil, which before was
hard and cloddy, becomes a loose, light soil,
easy OF culture, and with increased fertility.
think there can be NO doubt bot that during
the process of freezing and thawinr the wat.
er that is in the soil imparts to II more or
less OF is ier,ilizing properties. Thus am.
monia, carbonic acid and other iIuno-,ani
articles Of food may be, and probably are,
deposited in the soil, ready to supply the
demands of the ensuing crop. These con.
siderations seem TO explain the beneficial eff
fleets resulting from the fall blowing of heavy
OF stiff clay soils. Do they 10, also srgges,
that il would be 10 the interest of agricultur
lists in regions where heavy soils prevail is
the custom of rail- blowing was moro gener
ally adopted :-L.J j. TeayDlsH, an Ohio Farmer