ill the tubes with the same kinds
of dry sifted soils. Then pour water into the pan or dish beneath the
tubes until it rises a quarter of an inch above the lower end of the
tubes (Fig. 24). Watch the water rise in the soils. The water will be
found to rise rapidly in the sand about two or three inches and then
stop or continue very slowly a short distance further. In the clay it
starts very slowly, but after several hours is finally carried to the
top of the soil. The organic matter takes it up less rapidly than the
sand, faster than the clay, and finally carries it to the top. By this
and further experiments it will be found that the power of soils to
take moisture from below depends on their texture or the size and
closeness of their particles.

We found the sand pumped the water only a short distance and then
stopped.

What can we do for our sandy soils to give them greater power to take
moisture from below? For immediate results we can compact them by
rolling or packing. This brings the particles closer together, makes
the spaces between them smaller, and therefore allows the water to
climb higher. For more lasting results we can fill them with organic
matter in the shape of stable manures or crops turned under. Clay may
be used, but is expensive to haul.

Which soils have greatest power to hold the water which enters them?

=Experiment.=--Use the same or similar apparatus as for the last
experiment. After placing the cloth caps over the ends of the tubes
label and carefully weigh each one, keeping a record of each; then
fill them with the dry soils and weigh again. Now place the tubes in
the rack and pour water in the upper ends until the entire soil is
wet; cover the tops and allow the surplus water to drain out; when the
dripping stops, weigh the tubes again, and by subtraction find the
amount of water held by the soil in each tube; compute the percentage.
It will be found that the organic matter will hold a much larger
percentage of water than the other soils; and the clay more than the
sand. The tube of organic soil will actually hold a larger amount of
water than the other tubes. (See also Fig. 25.)

In the experiment on page 40 we noticed that the sand took in the
water poured on its surface and let it run through very quickly. This
is a fault of sandy soils.

What can we do for our sandy soils to help them to hold better the
moisture which falls on them and tends to leach through them? For
immediate