FINDING AND MAKING SOIL 203 



wheat and oats, and for the common grasses. It is 

 likely to injure melons and is not reported as of any 

 use for corn and potatoes. 



Two things we have got at so far, and they are 

 both wonderful. First, we find that legumes, unlike 

 all other plants, will get food directly for themselves 

 out of the air and that this food when used by them, 

 can be stored in the earth to be used by other plants. 

 In this way we may use our soil forever. The old 

 notion that worn out soils are a necessary consequence 

 of use is all wrong. Soils are worn out to be sure, 

 but it is from a bad use of them. We have found 

 as a second most important fact that if we compost 

 our waste stuff we can make out of what is generally 

 thrown away the very best plant food conceivable. 



Most of our weeds are our best farmers. They 

 are busy working their roots down deep into the soil 

 to bring up unclaimed elements, at the same time 

 making the soil porous. Most of them have other 

 uses, and I doubt if a single plant is in existence that 

 illustrates " pure cussedness." Some of our very best 

 vegetables were weeds when I was a boy. 



The story of beggar weed is a good illustration. 

 It got its bad name when it was supposed to be a 

 weed and nothing more the veriest plague of the 

 cotton fields. A little while ago this same beggar 

 weed was found to be the best forage and hay plant 

 in the Southern States. Horses, cows, pigs, hens, 

 everything devours it with greediness. The leaves 

 are even being ground up to make flour, out of which 



