116 COTTON 



in bringing on new crops of timber for future 

 generations that are to need them. 



Still, the greater part of these so-called worn-out 

 lands may be reclaimed and brought back to the 

 fructuous state they were in before the soil-robber 

 came. 



The first step is this: Clean them up and give 

 them the advantage of good appearance. If 

 clothes make the man, good looks make the field. 

 If fields could think, they would doubtless act like 

 animals and men : to show their value they would 

 wish to look well. But to be covered with brush 

 and thickets and gullies and the like is enough to 

 make them shameful and little-doers. 



AMPLE REWARDS IN RECLAIMING WORN-OUT SOIL 



Treat these lands liberally and they will brighten 

 up and respond gloriously. For every cent you 

 spend on them in the way of better appearance and 

 clean faces they will return many. Every gullied 

 wrinkle you remove will bring hope and earning 

 power to them, and to you; the care and attention 

 expended in grooming with axe and plow will pro- 

 duce marvelous changes in appearance, productive 

 ability, and commercial value. 



Possibly you have many acres of this kind of 

 land. If so, reclaim them as you can. Five acres, 

 ten or fifty: work in this fashion as far as you are 

 able. Winter is the time, and there is none better. 

 You are not busy with details of work: your men, 

 your tenants, have many, many idle days; your 

 teams are inactive because winter is on, and no 

 pressing work is to be done. Make work: employ 

 men and teams in these old fields. Cut the thick- 

 ets, mow the briers and brush ; plow the soil deeper 



