THE SECRET OF THE SOIL 



plants love, and at the same time fertil- 

 ize and enrich it, and help it to retain 

 its all-important moisture. In my ex- 

 perience the texture of the soil is the 

 most important element about it. In 

 one way or another it must be made 

 porous and kept so. Eternal stirring will 

 make even hard-pan nourish flowers, 

 and mine grow better with a moderate 

 amount of fertilizer thoroughly mixed 

 into soil which is frequently stirred, or 

 as gardeners say, " cultivated/' than with 

 tons of it spread on top of a hard, stiff 

 surface. 



49 



