40 ARID AGRICULTURE. 



tions. There is little danger of working such 

 soils too wet and practically rone of injuring 

 them by puddling when too dry. Heavier soils 

 may do if they contain enough lime so the soil 

 particles are well "flocculated." Lime is usu- 

 ally abundant in western soils. Heavy soils may 

 be all right if they contain a sufficient amount 

 of vegetable matter. Dry soils are usually defi- 

 cient -in humus and decomposed vegetable sub- 

 stances. 



Flocculation is the collecting together of the 

 very fine particles of soils into bunches or little 

 flocks. An ounce of fine soil may contain over 

 500 billion particles and if each particle re- 

 mained by itself, plant roots could not feed in 

 the soil. Lime seems to bring the fine particles 

 together and makes the soil sufficiently granular 

 to be worked. Vegetable mold serves the same 

 purpose, by keeping the soil particles farther 

 apart. 



A new farmer who is in doubt about select- 

 ing his soil, or what to do for it, should get the 

 advice of some reliable man who has had experi- 

 ence. 



PERSONAL There are three great personal elements of 



op E suxjci:ss character not possessed by the unsuccessful 

 farmer. They are, first, the know-how. Sec- 

 ond, the doit-now. Third, the do-things-well. 

 So many let their work crowd them. They do 

 not do so well as they know. There is often un- 



