WATER IN THE SOIL.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 24, Issue 16, 28 February 1913, Page 7

WATER IN THE SOIL.

Many experiments have been made upon different kinds of crops and the amount of water required to produce a pound of dry matter varies greatly. These tests indicate that 200 tb. of water will be necessary to produce a pound of dry matter, while in other cases as high as 800 lb. or 900 tb. will be necessary. Such a variation is due to the climatic conditions, locality, kind of crop, and kind of soil. In the humid regions less water is required than in the arid country, and this fact partly explains why a greater amount of water must be held in the soil in our irrigated districts of the west. Wheat, in all probability, will require le-e water, per pound of dry matter than oats, and alfalfa requires more than oats, If we assume that an average crop requires 400 tb. of water to produce 1 lb. of dry matter, and in the case of alfalfa, which produced 4 tons per acre for the season, will require for the above average about 51,200 cubic feet of water, or a depth of a little over 14 in. over the entire acre. This amount of water must be held in the soil particles as free water available for the plant growth. A good foil must be of such a nature as to act as a reservoir and at the same time supply the necessary chemical constituents to the plant.—“ Mark Lane Express,”