Excess Water Is Harmful At Root Zones Of Plants

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 29, 24 August 1949, Page 7

Excess Water Is Harmful At Root Zones Of Plants

Although excess water in the soil is available to plants—in the sense that there is an abundance of it—it is not utilised by the most desirable plants because of the lack of air (which has been expelled from the soil), and the absence of desirable micro-organic activity. Such excess water is definitely harmful when occurring within the root zone of plants for more than a day or two. Excess (or gravitational) water is that which may be present in the soil in excess of hygroscopic and capillary water, and which, if not prevented by the presence of impervious layers, is free to drain away. Fill Fore Spaces

& If it does not drain away it fills the pore spaces in the soil, and in doing so it excludes air and sets up what is termed waterlogged conditions.

When a dry, or comparatively dry, soil is wetted from above, the top layers of the soil retain as much water as its capillary capacity will allow, and anything in excess of that passes downward as gravitational water, but becomes capillary water of the soil at lower depths. If a layer impervious to water is met with, excess water from above tends to accumulate, and a ground water level or watertable results in cases where such water is supplied to the layer, more rapidly than it can be removed by plants, upward capillary movement, or by drainage. Water May Accumulate If the impervious layer is within a few feet of the surface, the excess water may accumulate t p such an extent as to cause the watertable to reach the surface for prolonged periods in the wetter seasons of the year. In low-lying areas receiving natural drainage from higher surrounding country, excess water may accumulate and rise to the surface even though the impervious layer which prevents its downward movement is far below the surface. Such conditions give rise to many of the New Zealand swamps.

To cool the face: put your skin tonic in the refrigerator for .a few minutes before using.

To keep feet cool: bathe in lukewarm water and boracic powder, dust with boracic after drying.

To acquire a sense of coolness: “think cool,” use only light flower perfumes, no heavy jewellery.