120 THE BUSINESS OF FABMING 



doses mentioned, can greatly aid his patient in 

 recovering its strength by administering ground 

 rock phosphate and limestone, nitrate of soda, and 

 potash, which, if given in right quantities, will so 

 stimulate the soil that it will better assimilate the 

 medicine of drainage, organic matter, plowing 

 and soil covering. 



The most important method of treatment and 

 medicines to be administered have been given for 

 the treatment of sick soils. And the use of this 

 method of treatment and the application of these 

 remedies is the true and only remedy for the dis- 

 ease of our soils. It is the only treatment and 

 remedy for soil maintenance, and any other treat- 

 ment and remedies which do not embody these are 

 but the nostrums and patent medicine remedies 

 of the quack soil doctor, the use of which will not 

 only make the patient more ill and diseased, but 

 will ultimately lead to his death. 



When the soil patient has recovered and the 

 tissues of its body have been rebuilt and its 

 strength has come back so that it again takes up 

 its burden of bearing crops, we must continue 

 giving it the medicine of drainage, organic matter, 

 plowing, etc., as a food, for the soil as well as man 

 and beast must be fed, and to assist it in assimilat- 

 ing its food it must be groomed by proper cultiva- 

 tion, crop rotation, etc., for soil will resent mis- 

 treatment in these respects, as well as the mis- 

 treatment of withholding from it drainage, organic 

 matter, etc. Soil will surely respond and give its 

 best to him who feeds it, properly tends it, grows 

 different crops upon it each year, and keeps stock 



