Hungry for Humus

Directions: Read pages 27 and 28 in Get Growing to find out how the moist humus in the soil causes problems. Read each phrase below. Find the problem that matches the phrase. Cut and paste the problem next to the phrase.

Phrase	Problem
The soil becomes too dry
The soil turns to dust
The soil looses its fertility
The soil looses its fertility
Farmers need to make more money to pay for all of their equipment
More land is needed for planting
More land is needed for planting
More and more topsoil is drying up and blowing away

Problems (cut out and paste)

so marshes and ponds are drained

so stands of trees are cut down

so more fertilizer is needed

so they plant every available clod of soil

so the top layer is swept away by wind,
rain, or snow

so plants wither quickly

so many parts of the earth are
being turned into deserts

Problems (cut out and paste)
so marshes and ponds are drained	so stands of trees are cut down
so more fertilizer is needed	so they plant every available clod of soil
so the top layer is swept away by wind, rain, or snow	so plants wither quickly
so many parts of the earth are being turned into deserts

Return to the Get Growing lesson.

Last updated on April 1, 1997
Maintained by John L. Day

<jday@umd5.umd.edu>