2 TALKS ABOUT THE SOIL. 



We go outside the house, and find that the ground on 

 which our home stands extends in every direction as 

 far as we can see. To learn the truth concerning any 

 natural object, we must study it, look at it from every 

 side. Here is a natural object, immense in extent, 

 of extraordinary variety in point of form, color, and 

 quality. Let us leave our houses, which are only artifi- 

 cial affairs, and of less interest, and examine this great 

 natural object, the ground. 



Perhaps we live in New York City, say in a cross 

 town street below Central Park. We start out upon 

 an exploring expedition, determined to take a good 

 look at the world, and see what we can learn about 

 it. Not very promising at first sight. Smooth flat 

 stones on the walk, rough oblong stones in the street. 

 We see at once that this is all artificial, and that the 

 real earth is covered up out of sight. We walk on in 

 either direction, and perhaps soon find a place where 

 the street has been torn up for repairs, or where a 

 cellar is being prepared for a house. Nothing but 

 gray stones, glistening here and there with specks of 

 silvery mica. Then the ground beneath the streets 

 and houses is rock. That is one bit of truth. Is it 

 the whole truth ? Walk or ride down town as far as 

 Astor Place, and then look about for a place where the 

 roadway or a cellar is opened. Here is something 

 very different. There are no stones to be seen ; and 

 in place of steam drills and blasting-powder to break 

 open the hard rocks, the workmen here use shovels to 

 dig up the loose yellow sand. If the cellar is deep, 



