Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-10-04
THE BEST CT sons
Porous Subsoil the MOST Reuah,. q
Every Variety OF Proarct.

L
i every Variety Of Prodrcts.
| II a sample of common soil is ex-
amlned with magnifying glass. it is
found to be composed of numerous
fragments of minerals OF various kinds.
with an admix:ure of vegetable and
animal matter in various stages of de-
composition. These fragments arc
very irregular in forr, ard size and
are In contact only at their more prom
lnent corners. They might bs com.
pared to mass of coal of various size.
mixed together, the difference BEING
that the fragments of coal are al, Of
one substance. whereas the soil is COM
posed of various substances. Now. wa
know that if We pour water over a
basket of Goals. a thin layer OF water
adheres to each fragment and the rest
passes off through the meshas of tho
basket. just so, when soil is wet bv
the rain. each tiny fragment is sur
rounded by thin film of water, and
the rest. if the subsoil is reasonably
porous, filters through and flows away.
AS the fragments OF the soil are very
much smaller than those of the coal.
while the film OF water that adheres to
the particles Is perhaps just as thick,
1t follows that the amount of water re.
tanned by given bulk of soil is vastly
greater than by IN equal bulk of coal.
Suppose we put the coal in a tight
pail instead of a basket. and then pour
on water. Of course the water fills
the interstices between the fragments.
and the air is all driven ont except
few bubbles that become entangled.
This is precisely what happens when
heavy rains fall upon soil that has
an impervious clay subsoil. The spaces
between the particles become almost
filled with water. and the air. with the
oxygen 1t contains, is mostly driven
out. Ii, on the other hand. the sub
soil be porous, then the water passes
Off as from the coal in the basket.
This porous subsoil is exactly what
we have in the coast belt of the lower
south, usually. We speak OF clay
subsOil, but really it is not a clay, but
simply a clay loan, with sufficient sand
in its makeup to permit rapid pas
sage of water through it. If our lands
display want of Understandings. it is
because We happen to have bed OF
pipc-ciay for subsoil (Which is a rare
thing), CIR because there is a water sup
ply from some source other than the
clouds. True. there is sometimes seen
a slight exception to this rule, even On
our highlands. A small piece OF land
may be surrounded by higher lands,
so that in wet time water runs upon
it and stands for few days forming a
kind of pond. Here the subsoil may
be all right, naturally, but has become
clogged in time with the finer matter
from above until it does not pass the
water through as rapidly as would be
best fora the agriculturist. Such
land would be the Better for artificial
drainage, OF course. But generally
speaking. our uplands need no drain
age, which is certainly something de-
cidedly to their advantage as agricult-
ural lands.
The Australian writer goes on to
say that bOtanists tell us that the root
hairs. that supply the roots with
water and it's nourishing substances
in solution, can not live without oxy-
gen. If the oxygen is shut away from
roots, therefore, the roots will die. In
dying they not only injare the plant to
which they belong, but the matter of
which they are formed soon undergoes
decomposition, and generates gases
which are injurious to other healthy
roOt-hairs in the neighborhood.
To be sure, the rain water. as it falls
upon the soil, is charged with oxygen,
but in passing downward part of this
is filtered out; another part unites
with organic matter in the soil, SO that
after the water remains for a time it
becomes deficient in the life-giving
oxygen. Hence it is that when u soil
is filed with water the roots of land
plants can not live in a healthy con-
lition.
When. however, we provide an out
let for the surplus erit slowly flows
away. and in doing so the air forces it.
self in from the top of the soil and the
roots are abundantly supplied with
oxygen. From time to time rains
'ome. and, temporarily filing the cav
tiles of the soil, drive out the air with
N them that has given up part of its
oxygen. AS this water passes of
through the drainage, fresh air enters
again, and thus the roots are kept sup
piled with oxygen.-Queensland Plant
.r and Farmer
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