6 TALKS ABOUT THE SOIL. 



walk or ride, and make notes of all you see concern- 

 ing the surface of the ground. Note whether it be 

 level or hilly, whether there are mountains near or in 

 sight, or whether there be only low rounded hills and 

 winding valleys. Note also the color of the roads 

 and ploughed fields. Put the date, the names and 

 distances of the places, and all these facts, on the 

 report, and, having signed it, put it away in a safe 

 place. The day may come when you will be glad to 

 refer to it again. 



We have learned that the surface of the world ex- 

 hibits great variety in form and color. We must now 

 take up a regular series of observations to find out the 

 cause of this variety. The most important is the ac- 

 tual surface or form, whether it be flat, or gently 

 sloping, or steep and rough. The color of the ground 

 is of use in helping us to study it ; but just now it is of 

 less importance, and we will look at the surface only. 

 In making these observations, it will be well also to 

 observe the direction in which the ground slopes, 

 whether it be towards the sun at noon, or away from it 

 in some other direction. 



II. THE BONES OP THE WORLD. We know 

 that animals, fishes, and birds have bones. These 

 bones united in various ways form the creature's skele- 

 ton, and upon the form of the skeleton depends the 

 form or shape of the living creature. We might con- 

 clude that the surface of the ground was in like man- 

 ner dependent upon some interior skeleton or bony 

 structure. In one sense this is true, and in another 



