80 CAMPBELL'S SOIL CULTURE MANUAL 



one got onto the fact that by a little different method of 

 handling the soil three and four ttimes as much grain 

 might be produced. 



We do not refer to South Dakota for any special rea- 

 son, other than it is a fair illustration of work done by all 

 the stations and shows very conclusively how easy it is 

 to become wedded to theory and beleive it to be right, 

 though it may be wrong in practice. 



DIFFICULTY OF EXPERIMENTS. 



Again we must repeat the fact that soil culture is one 

 of the most, if not the most, complex science we have, 

 for the reason that we cannot see what is going on in the 

 soil below the surface. A certain thing done under cer- 

 tain soil conditions will produce certain results, while the 

 same mechanical work under slightly changed conditions 

 will not bring the same results at all. 



Another serious drawback to rapid development along 

 correct lines is the fact that twelve long months are required 

 between each experiment. Then the experimenter may 

 follow out the same line for three, five or ten years, and 

 just as he begins to think he has established a point he 

 finds that what he supposed to be the influencing element 

 has practically nothing to do with the result. 



We frequently find experimenters that have spent al- 

 most a lifetime on certain lines of experiments with con- 

 fidence in the correctness of their position; then through 

 some chain of circumstances find they are wrong and 

 change their tactics entirely. To us it seems almost 

 ridiculous for the average farmer to attempt to conduct 

 any experiment in soil tillage with a hope of new and 

 valuable light. Let him rather spend his efforts in proving 

 what those with facilities have worked out. 



Theory is one thing, a practical demonstrated fact is 



