The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1895-05-02


! tent of surface contracts and pulls
water to the plant, so that the very
fact of the plant using the water in
creases this power, which moves water
automatically to the plant and water
is supplied.to the plant as long as there
is an adequate supply in the surround
! ing soil to be drawn from. This force
of surface tension may move water in
any direction in the soil, either up or
down or laterally. ''
1t was pointed out in this lecture
that different fertilizers affect this
force of surface tension-lime, kainit,
salt, plaster and acid phosphate in
crease tn e surface tension and increase
the force which moves water to the
plant. This probably explains the
fact so commonly met with in practice
that an application of lime or of kainit
or of plaster to a clover field keeps the
surface soil more moist during dry
season than it would otherwise have
been. 1t is not that these fertilizers
attract moisture from the air but that
they increase this contracting power
of water and SO pull more water up
from below. Organic matters on the
other hand decrease this surface ten
sion and this probably, explains the
fact that the injudicious use of large
applications of stable manure on light
sandy soils is liable to ''burn out the
land in dry seasons. The contracting
power of the water surface is material
ly lessened and there is not SO much
power to draw water to the plant as it
is needed.
While the resistance of the soil to
the descent of the rainfall is due in a
large measure to the relative amount
of sand, silt and clay, as this deter
mines how much the space in the soil
pends to a considerable extent upon
the way these soil grains are arranged.
Where the grains are evenly arranged
in the soil and the spaces between the
grains through which the water is
moved are of nearly uniform size, the
resistance is at maximum and the
water moves very slowly. This is the
condition of soil which is puddled
and which is close and impervious to
water. If the soil grains on the other
hand are grouped in masses, if the !
grains of clay cling closely to the large
grains of sand so that the mass acts as
a single grain leaving some of the |
spaces larger and others smaller than |
when the grains are uniformly distrib- |
uted there will be less friction, the !
soil will be loamy and even leachy and |
will maintain much less moisture than
before, for the rainfall can move down
ward much faster. This is the condi-
ton of loamy soil and if this is car
ried too far it may injure the
SOIL, as it will be too
leachy and not sufficiently retentive of
moisture for the needs of crops. An
midway between these
two extremes is desired for the most
efficient condition Of any soil.
The forces which control the ar
of the soil grains were illus
rated by diagrams shown on lantern
slides and the effect of fertilizers in
modifying these forces and in chang
ng the texture of the soils was ex-
planned. The lectures were illustrated
throughout with a number of slides
showing grains of soil highly magni-
led, and the effect on these grains
If added lime and other fertilizers,
Ind by lantern slides showing the tex
ure of different soils and the amount
If sand, silt and clay they contain, as
veil as the average amount of moisture
or growing plants.
In conclusion it .ras urged that these
oils having such different textures,
nd maintaing such different conditions
we're naturally adapted to different
,inds of crops and to different agricul-
ural interests and that the highest
ype of farming and the most success
ul farmer must adapt the crops to
he peculiar soil conditions of his farm,
With due regard, of course, to the
market demands and transportation
ABILITIES. 1t was urged that it was as
enseless to attempt to grow wheat, for
on the light sandy truck
ands as it would be for man to in
est his money in an iron foundry
With the idea of making woodenware
'ut of the equipment. His investment
S only suited to iron work, and it
would be folly for him to make such
N Investment for the sake of going
nto the manufacture of woodenware
30 the intelligent farmer must under
tand what class of crops his soil or
ifferent soils are adapted to and mako
speciality of these crops, with such
as the markets and trans
'ortation facilities may require.