78 TALKS ABOUT THE SOIL. 



affect us all, whether we live in town or country. The 

 success or failure of our farmers affects the price of 

 bread on all our tables, and we cannot say we do not 

 care for these things. Whatever is good for the farmer 

 to know, is good for all to know. Many people think 

 we have too much land, and that we should not cut 

 down any more trees, but use the fields already cleared. 

 This is a most important and interesting question ; 

 and before we have finished our observations and 

 studies of the soil, we may be able to understand it 

 better than we can just now. 



xvi. TILLAGE. The settler in the Far West 

 ploughs up the wild soil, turning it neatly over in long 

 furrows. Before, it was long grass : now it is brown 

 soft earth. What will happen next ? Let us look at 

 the matter, for the observations we have already made 

 will in various ways help us to an answer. First, we 

 notice that before the plough passed, the grass and 

 other plants hid the ground from sight. Now the plants 

 are turned completely upside down, and are buried out 

 of sight. Secondly, a part of the soil was below and 

 out of the reach of the air and sunlight : it is now on 

 top, and fully exposed to sun, wind, and rain. Lastly, 

 in place of a thick mat of tangled roots we have the 

 loose soil. What will be the effect of all this ? 



Plants are living things. They require air and 

 light, or they cannot live. These plants are torn up 

 and buried, and will quickly perish. The moment 

 they are dead, decay begins. This means that they 

 will turn back to their original elements. The com- 



