Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-06-11
Relation of Water to Agriculture.

w lbIOub lHC COuSlhuJ DIG6CuCG VI
water the production of vegetable sub
stances is an impossibility, The pres
ence or absence of this substance deter
mines almost entirely whether our labors
in the field of agriculture shall be
crowned with success or prove a failure.
Either the lack or excess of water proves
deleterious to the growing crops of the
farmer. Water exists in three states or
conditions, in all of which it has a very
important influence on the production of
farm crops These are the solid or
frozen state, the liquid state and the
gaseous or state of vapor or steam. 1t
is law that all material substances are
expanded 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 38 degs.
Fair, at which it becomes stationary
aud remains so until it falls to 32 degs.,
at which it freezes. In the process of
freezing the law of expansion is re-
versed and the ice that is formed occu-
pies one sixth to QUE eleventh 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; it also explains why many veg
etable substances are injured by the
freezing of their sap-the swelling of
the sap in freezing ruptures or at
least SO strains the vegetable cells
that vitality is destroyed. Snow,
which is frozen vapor, is very bene-
ficial as protection to the roots of
plants that remain in the ground during
winter. The many small air spaces
formed by the freezing make it a non
conductor of heat; so that a few inches
,Nfa r.y,n hn ,NlD q
from the injurious effects of the most Sc
we're cold that ever occurs in the tenn
perate zones. And in cases where the
soil was not frozen when the snow fell
the internal heat of the earth will be
sufficient to cause vigorous growth of
winter grain thus protected. The SNOW
also carries down with it when it falls
certain fertilizing substances found in
the air, particularly ammonia, which are
believed to contribute directly to the
growth of the plants with which the snow
is in contact. A coating of solid ice, on
the other hand, by excluding the air en-
tirely, and by preventing the exhalation
from the plants, if continued for any
great length of time, is almost sure to re-
suit in the death of the plants by suffoca-
ton. 1t is evident, therefore, that no
water should be permitted to stand on
the surface of the ground that is occu-
pied by crop of winter grain. But per
haps the most beneficial effect Of water
in the form of ice is found in its ten
dency to break down and pulverize stiff
or heavy soils during the winter season.
When saturated soil freezes the ice
is not formed in all the interstices of the
soil where, it is held while in fluid state,
but 1t is drawn together so that the ice is
formed in thin plates or scales, thus sep.
arating the soil into numbefless small
divisions or particles, each of which Is
bound and held to its neighbor particle
by thin film or plate of ice. When q
thaw takes place, as these layers of ice
gradually melt, the particles of soil, in
stead of reuniting with those to which
they adhered before freezing, fall off and
crumble down into loose, friable soil.
And if the surplus water is carried of
by under draining, the soil, which before
was hard and cloddy, becomes a loose,
light soil, easy of culture, and with in.
creased fertility. think there can be
no doubt but that during the process OF
freezing and thawing the water that Is
in the soil imparts 10 IT more OF less OF
its fertihzing properties Thus aHlAcniar
carbonic acid and other Important arti.
cles of plant food may be, and probably
are, deposited in the soil, ready tosupply
the demands of the ensuing crop. These
considerations seem to explain the bene
fetal effects resulting from the fall plow
ing of heavy or stiff clay soils. DO they
not also suggest that il would be to the
interest of agriculturists in regions where
heavy soils prevail If theicGstom of fal
plowing was more rgeneTsllY-adopted
n I Is,,,,aI;,, a., 0Bio E03,,0ag.
ar rSAA - t-AA92- ~ ~
Health and Comfort In House Building
q sTff--%@y AI5l NI 4
Among our readers in country and vii
lage. aEe=many who propose building res
licences this season. The best advice
which can be given in many cases wberC
this is pToposed is that a comp 81 ent arch
iteq5be enIployed and that his direction
be f6liowed. Some things are 50 Otter
neglected by these building that--a--feV
suggestions maydo good, even il tlIey n
of the kind which suggests the nemark
Everybody knows that" .asE
On many farms the location, al the res
idence is determined by the Wster sup
ply. Water is good thing, but it Il
coming to be understood that in thu
wrong place il isla very bad thing. DIR,
earth IS healthful; ii absorBs unpleasant
odors and had gases Wet earth give
out these thingsg Many diseases hav
their cause In .maiarial vapors arisinl
from stagnapt water. Hepee the frs
suggestion we make Is tifAts fAthe spO
selected is not bynatgroe 50, fixed rs 4
do this, it should be so graded that wate
will not remain near the house, especial
ly not under AZ f4hd gwes should d
troughed, aud even q vefy lttle bank Ia
of earth against the foundations will d
much good u is also especially impOl
tant that grading be done about the we
so that the surface water may run fT0I
rather than 10 and into IL