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Show OXYGEN NEEDED IN SOIL Irrigation Farmers Are Warned Against Further Neglect of Proper Drainage System. The germs In the soil which develoj a nitric acid in, the soil find oxygen indispensable to their life, and it is important that a large supply of il penetrate the soil. Oxygen is . alsc needed to prevent the destruction l the nitrates after they are once formed form-ed and with these facts staring us in the face, it is plain that we are in danger of having the soil depleted ol its needful nitrates through the de struction of the organic matter, if th land is allowed to remain too long with insufficient ventilation, as a re suit of poor drainage. This fact is em phasized in the works of all our soi! experts. Prof. Goff, in his book, "The Principles of Plant Culture," sums th whole matter up in this terse state ment: "Drainage promotes soil aeratiot by forming an outlet for the surplus water that would otherwise fill th cavities. Although moisture is essen tial to root growth, land plants do not prosper with their roots immersed ir water. True, most plants may b grown in 'water culture,' I. e. witt their roots from germination grown ir water that is freely exposed to the air; but the roots of land plants soor smother for want of free oxyger when the soil cavities are filled with water, because the soil tends to pre vent the water within Its cavities from absorbing air." The farmers on irrigation land are especially warned against further neglect of drainage. Delay is suicidal. Procrastination is not only the thief of time, but a robber filching the possibilities possi-bilities of success from the farmer whose lands are saturated with alkali water. |