SB 



S5T3 



PREFACE 



MANY words are not necessary in introducing this work 

 to the public. The title itself will suggest its scope, and 

 I leave it entirely in the hands of readers to judge of its 

 merits. 



One matter which I deem to merit reiteration, although 

 it will be found many times in the book, is the advice to 

 dig deeply and cultivate thoroughly. The one great thing 

 in dealing with soil is to dig deeply. Only by this means 

 can the full dividend be got from the outlay of labour. It 

 may be stated as an absolute fact that no scientist and no 

 cultivator can realise what power there is in the soil. Where- 

 ever deep digging is properly practised it invariably pro- 

 duces not only good but excellent results, such as will bear 

 the strictest investigation as to finance. 



It may be repeated here, for it needs to be well driven 

 home, that there is no unfertile land. Those lands which 

 at present are looked upon with great disfavour are rich in 

 fertility, and it requires merely plenty of intelligent labour 

 to be expended to improve them. 



No soil that has been properly cultivated has ever yet 

 become exhausted, for Nature works in a cycle, and as 

 everything comes from the land, so everything must return 



