2. Will a soil that is fine and compact produce better crops than one that is loose and cloddy? Why?
3. Since the water which a plant uses comes through the roots, can the morning dew afford any assistance?
4. Why are weeds objectionable in a growing crop?
5. Why does the farmer cultivate growing corn and cotton?
SECTION IV. HOW THE WATER RISES IN THE SOIL
Fig. 8. Using Lamp-Chimneys
To show the Rise of Water in Soil
When the hot, dry days of summer come, the soil depends upon the subsoil, or undersoil, for the moisture that it must furnish its growing plants. The water was stored in the soil during the fall, winter, and spring months when there was plenty of rain. If you dig down into the soil when everything is dry and hot, you will soon reach a cool, moist undersoil. The moisture increases as you dig deeper into the soil.
Now the roots of plants go down into the soil for this moisture, because they need the water to carry the plant food up into the stems and leaves.
You can see how the water rises in the soil by performing a simple experiment.