INTRODUCTION. 45 



Wheat, oats, potatoes, timothy grass and a hundred 

 other things are uncertain, affected vastly by the 

 vicissitudes of the weather. Alfalfa once rooted in 

 dry rich soil has the permanence of the wild native 

 things. Corn also planted upon alfalfa sod well cul- 

 tivated mocks at seasons, for floods affect it not, 

 since the land must perforce be well drained, and 

 drouths and heats that sear other vegetation pass it 

 by, leaving it fresh, green and undismayed. These 

 two crops then are destined not to free the farmer 

 from labor, for they bring abundant labor to him, 

 but to take away from him the cares and perplexi- 

 ties incident to the growing of uncertain things. 



