No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 497 



heavy soil more open and porous and absorptive, and a light soil 

 more compact and retentive, besides furnishing a very considerable 

 percentage of nitrogen available for the succeeding crops. Natu- 

 rally, if the soil is poor it will be necessary to continue with as 

 many leguminous crops in the rotation as it is possible to introduce. 

 For a year or two at least, keeping the number of money crops in 

 the rotation as low as possible. 



The object of this work is to point out, so far as it is known to 

 the writer, the principles involved in the natural improvement of 

 soils; with these understood the individual farmer will be better 

 capable of selecting his crops useful for the purpose than any one 

 else, as he is familiar with his climatic and seasonal conditions, his 

 own soil and its adaptation for the various crops, both "catch" and 

 "money." He should remember, too, that the knowledge of these 

 things is yet very incomplete and that he must not rest satisfied 

 with the improvement that may be obtained by its use, but to take 

 advantage of such further additions as may be made from time to 

 time, as the resut of scientific investigations. 



32—6—1902 



