SUMMER MEETING, 1882. 55 



Organize thoroughly, haiidlo your own fruit, and tlieu you will know it is done 

 carefully. Do your own selling and I assure you you will be well paid for your 

 time and trouble by the increased returns which you will receive for your fruit. 

 The next essay was by Mr. James Brassington, of Oceana county, upon the 

 subject of 



OUR SOILS. 



" Not what I have, but what I do is my kiiigdom." 



It is within tlie last centuries of the world's history that men have gathered 

 seeds and stored up a little of the last year's crop for future use. The savage 

 knew nothing of agriculture. He lived by killing wild animals with stones or 

 clubs. But as we follow step by step down through tlie ages of his progress 

 and civilization we learn that at first he burns out a iiollow log. He launches 

 it for a boat to flsh in. Soon the parts are lashed together with thongs of 

 bark. Next the planks are fastened with nails, and finally culminates in the 

 beautiful steamers and vessels that traverse our rivers, lakes, and oceans. 

 And thus the world was opened for colonization and civilization. Soon miner- 

 als were discovered, heat was applied, and the minerals were smelted into 

 metals. Then man made unmeasurable strides. Then he could make tools, 

 chisel stone, build houses, and proceed by his unwearying industry to devise 

 manifold means and agencies of civilization. In this way men have contin- 

 ued to work, reclaiming the soil, fitting and improving it so that it would 

 abundantly grow all tlie crops necessary to supply his wants. 



As the population of the world increased it evidently became necessary to 

 till the ground. The more rapidly the population increased the more thor- 

 oughly had this tillage to be performed. In China with her hundred millions 

 it has been the practice for centuries to till and manure the soil with the 

 greatest care and economy. Nothing is wasted ; everything is saved and put 

 to some protitable use. Yea, every weed that is pulled up is buried in the soil 

 in order that by its decomposition it may make manure for the growing plants 

 to feed upon. 



There is a well known story of an old farmer having called his three idle 

 sons around his deathbed to impart to them an important secret. "My sons," 

 said he, "a great treasure lies hidden in the estate which I am about to leave 

 you." As the old man was about to gasp his last the sons exclaimed in a 

 breath, "Where is it?" '-'I am about to tell you," said the father. "You 



will have to dig for it ," but he died before he imparted the weighty 



secret. The sons with great energy set to work with spade and plow on the 

 neglected fields, to turn up every sod and clod upon the estate. They 

 were unable to find the hidden treasure, but the fields were sown, the harvest 

 came, lo ! the yield was prodigious in consequence of the thorough tillage of 

 the soil. Then it was that they discovered the treasure concealed in the 

 estate of which their wise old father had advised them. 



Generally soils are much like an individual character. They are made 

 good according to the amount of thorough cultivation bestowed upon them. 

 In no occupation do we receive a greater benefit than we do from the judicious 

 management of our soils. Without it nothing can be expected. If we would 

 make our lands pay we must work them with the utmost care. The wise phy- 

 sician wishing to restore an exhausted constitution tries to stimulate the sys- 

 tem of his patient by feeding nourishments. Step by step his patient gains 

 strength, and by this accumulative process he is restored to healtii, made new 



