Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-09-07

The correct condition for soil to be in
is when 1t is Mt to hold three things.
each in the right quantity. neither too
much nor too little OF either. They arc
air. heat and water, TO much Of either
VIII cause the crops to fail, while too
little Will have the same cffcct. You
see how difficult science is farming,
In fact. YOU have felt this all your
lives. Air, heat ana water have each
an affinity for each other. and yet they
are each antRgonistic To each other: so
the trouble is Just how TO maintain
the best possible balance OF all three In
the soil at one time. and continuously
while the crop grows. II you shut eth
er out OF the soil the crop will die. and
II you give either too great quantity
It will likewise die. The many pro-
cesses YOU effect when working land
are all undertaken for this end, though
some Of You may not have before seen
u In this way. To the man with tho
true Unborn farming intention thls
knowledge Is perhaps " no use AT all
in every day practice. To those who
are ever anxious to learn the reason
why. II IL at least satisfaction, n
nothing else.
To Illustrate how air, heat and water
can be held IN the soil ut the same
time. take In Imagination tub, and MI
II with soil worked UP Into fine tiith
after Il good autumn rain. IN this case
you have air, heat and water each in
correct quantity Pour water gently In
on the soil In the tub TIL you know Il
will not absorb any more. You thereby
drive out the air. and any farm plant
growing In 1t will then dwindle and die.
Make hole In the bottom OF the tub TO
let the water escape, and the more you
pour In, II done gently. Ike falling rain,
and not too constantly, the more the
plant viii flourish. II, however, the
water Is cold and the surrounding at
mosphere Is cold also, then dgoin the
plant VIII pine: the cold air and cold
water VIII KIN It II continued, Try the
tub again filled with soil. not worked
into n tilth. but TN ANAL clods In this
case you would have air Milling all tine
spaces at the expense Of the water or
moisture. During rain the spaces
would be filled with water. which would
at once run through the suhsoll, 10 be
Immediately followed by air to an the
interstices. II the air was cold II would
tend TO Kill the plants therein, II the
weather was hot the little moisture re-
tained by the clOdH would at once
evaporate and IN either case vegetation
would suffer. Take the tub again and
MI Il with n Arm clay soil. The clay
would hold moisture hut not air, An
regards heat, 1t would be warm when
the atmosphere was hot. and cold as
the weather changed to cold, The heat
and cold would be 80 often changing,
warm In the day and cooling on rapid
~ at night. That plants here ogain
would not be strong.
II is very important ~ bear In mind
when working a field that you want II
IN such condition thai II VIII hold
thesa three elements In well balanced
proportions. A spong Is a good Illus
tration OF how water II held In cnpil-
larry attraction. Dip a sponge In tub
OF water and when lifted out It IL fun
OF water and void OF air; give II "a
rentie squeeze to eliminate some OF the
water, and air Immediately takes Its
place. You then have both air and wa
ter held In the sponge. Not only that
but the moist sponge would hold heat
In more uniform degree than n II
was either fun Of water or quite dry.
II would not cool on and heat up so
quickly with every change OF tempern-
turn In the weather. Wooden and linen
fabrics also Illustrate this power OF re-
tention OF heat. Wool IN Its fibre ia
hollow. linen Is solid Put your hand
on a roll Of fannel-the flannel feels
warm, II Ecnty apspinth ana i'lulhH
the heat from the hand. the minute
hollows and spnces OF the fabric draw
the heat and hold IT, Try the snme
with roll OF linen in the same room.
II feels cold TO the touch. II n a more
solla body. like clay soil, which draws
the heat from the land rapidly to let
II 70 again In the same rapid manner.
The wool represents n nice open frlable
soll-always growing. not affected by
rapid changes from heat to cold, nor
from dry to wet. the linen, that OF
heavy solid clay soil. always either
too hot or too cold. too wet or too dry.