The purpose of this experiment was to investigate which type of soil would be the best to use for places such as athletic fields and gardens. The soils used were sand, silr, clay, and an "ideal" soil. The ideal soil was composed of 35% sand, 25% clay, and 10% humus-making materials. To carry out this project, a soil tube was used to place 200 ml of sand, silt, and clay in, and 120 ml of the "ideal" soil in, and pour 200 ml of water through it. The water was poured through the soils and through a strainer at the end, and was collected in a graduated cylinder. The soil tube was left alone until all of the water had been drained. After noting the amount of water that had been drained, it was recorded in a log book.
After completing the experiment, it was found that the ideal soil retained the least amount of water (58 ml). Sand (71 ml) and silt (78 ml) were next, and clay (160 ml) retained the most water. Therefore, the ideal soil would be the best for athletic fields, because it drained the most water and would not make a lot of mud. A soil made up of mostly silt would probably be best for gardens, because it retains some water, but not all of it.