26 THE BUSINESS OF FABMING 



common order, who wrote the most remarkable 

 sacred literature that the world has ever known. 

 Four hundred and fifty thousand square miles in 

 Hindustan, an empire in itself, capable of sup- 

 porting a mighty people, lie a waste untouched 

 by plow or hoe, "A waste too bleak to rear the 

 common growth of earth, the foodful ear," yet 

 an area of soil said to be capable of yielding rich 

 harvests. In cultivated lands of India one crop 

 follows another in quick rotation, and only such 

 crops are grown in this rotation which furnish 

 food for man and beast, which crops always feed 

 upon and consume the fertility of the soil. Those 

 crops which produce the smallest amount of 

 food for man and beast, yet feed the soil with the 

 elements it needs to make it fertile, are unknown 

 to these people. No means to enrich or build up 

 the soil are used not even manure, for fuel is so 

 scarce that the dung of animals is dried and used 

 for fuel. India 's soil was once full of virgin rich- 

 ness. It has become barren through cruel neg- 

 lect. Her fields have become worn-out soils. 



England, Germany, and a few other power- 

 ful nations of the old continent, a century or 

 more ago, were confronted with the menace of 

 worn and worn-out soils. But these nations rose 

 to the occasion and realized that their soils must 

 be compensated in some manner; that this com- 

 pensation even meant to follow the spurned ad- 

 vice of the wise Eoman agricultural writers given 

 centuries ago to the Eoman farmer, which was: 

 First; to plow well. Second: to plow again. 

 Third: to manure. Fourth: to compensate the 

 land by planting legumes and using them for 



