CAMPBELL'S SOIL CULTURE MANUAL 10l 



friable soil is more productive than a hard and lumpy 

 one of the same chemical composition, he says that "it 

 holds and retains more moisture; holds more air; presents 

 greater surface to the roots; promotes nitrifiication ; has^ 

 tens the decomposition of the mineral elements; has less 

 variable extremes of temperature; allows a better root- 

 hold to the plant." 



And as if to clinch the matter Prof. Bailey in briefly 

 referring to fertilizers, declares that "it is useless to apply 

 commercial fertilizers to lands which are not in proper 

 physical condition for the very best growth of crops." 



SAVING OUR SOILS. 



In a circular issued by the University of Illinois relating 

 to soil investigation, Prof. Cyril G. Hopkins asks these 

 pertinent questions: 



"Does not the ultimate position or final destiny of 

 America rest upon the question whether the crop produ- 

 cing power of our soils shall continue gradually to be reduced 

 or whether it shall be increased or at least maintained? We 

 need not ask whether the fertility of the soil can be abso- 

 lutely and completely exhausted. The fundamental ques- 

 tion is, will the system of farming which we practice or 

 advise ultimately reduce the productive capacity of the 

 soil." 



And in prefacing a somewhat breezy and certainly 

 very instructive lecture upon the subject Prof. Hopkins 

 says: 



"Surely there is no subject pertaining to agricultural 

 science and practice regarding which there is such a diver- 

 sity of opinion as the subject of soil improvement for 

 increased crop production. Both practical farmers and 

 even eminent scientific authorities disagree almost abso- 

 lutely on some fundamental principles. Indeed these 



